Don't Think, Just Do It Year 2
by I am the Girl Who Lived
Summary: Sequel to Don't think just do it.The flock and Trio are back for they're second year at Hogwarts and strange things are happening. Max is getting scared so she starts writing in a small black diary she found in her bag. What will happen? Plz Review!
1. Chapter 1

**_AUTHORS NOTE_**

**_Hey, so here's the new story and I hope you enjoy it!_**

**_I won't be able to update as fast as I did in Year 1, because I'm going to be in school and doing sports, but I promise_**

**_I'll do my best. _**

**_Enjoy the chapter! :D_**

**_-Rach ;)_**

**_Max's POV_**

I turned over in my bed, kicking off the blankets. I wasn't able to sleep, and after a few minutes, I got out of bed and went downstairs. I poured myself some Butterbeer, and sat on the couch. I picked up a book that was lying on the table and started reading it. It was _Fantastic Beast's and Where to Find Them, _ and it was really interesting.

I was so absorbed in the book that I shrieked and jumped when I felt a hand a shoulder. I turned around and saw five figures standing in the dark kitchen.

"What the hell are you guys doing down here?" I cried. Ron, Fred, George, Fang and Iggy stared at me. "We could ask you the same question," Fred said. "Well, I couldn't sleep so I came down here. Now, what are you guys doing here?" I almost shouted. "Keep your voice down!" George and Fred hissed together. I raised my eyebrows, and then the twins came over and put their arms around me and dragged me outside.

"What the hell are-" I started but Iggy covered my mouth with his hand. "Will you please shut up?" I nodded and Fang looked at the boys and asked, "Should we bring Max too?" I glared at him and he grinned. I hated it when people talked about me as if I wasn't even there.

"If she wants to come, she can," Iggy said, with his hand still on my mouth. George, seeing my confused look said, "Harry hasn't been answering any of your letters, has he?" I shook my head and Fred continued, "Well, we all got worried about young Mr Potter so were going to get him-"

"Using Dad's car-"

"Which can fly-"

"And we should be back before dawn-"

"With Harry-"

"And no one will know what we did."

I stared at them, bewildered. Iggy removed his hand and I whispered, "And what exactly were you going to say to your mother when she notices that Harry Potter just appeared at her house over night?" The boys beamed and Fang said, "Well, were just going to tell her that Harry showed up here to spend the rest of the holidays with his favorite people in the world. Good plan, isn't it?"

I looked at them all with a serious expression. "You lot are bloody insane." I turned to go back inside, but George ran forward and picked me up and threw me over his shoulder. "George! What in the name of Merlin's Beard are you doing?" I shrieked and George just said, "Shh now."

He walked over to the shed and Fred and Fang opened the doors. In the middle of the shed, sat the ancient blue Ford Anglia. George put me down and opened the door of the car and got in behind the wheel. "Oi, why do you get to drive?" Fred exclaimed and George grinned. "Because I'm the oldest," he said and Fred glowered.

"Your only older by about a minute!" he said and George chuckled. "Just get in the car Fred," he said winking. Fred laughed and went to sit next to George. I smiled as I watched them. They were closer then anyone I have ever met. They were inseparable, and they have never had a fight. They were hilarious and already treated me like they're little sister.

Fang, Ron and Iggy went in and sat in the back of the car and I went into the front on the bench seat with the twins. As George started the car, Iggy was humming some song under his breath looking out the window. He had become so much more happier since he got his eyesight back, and he was now more of an idiot then before. He was reading everything he could get his hands on, and kept going on about actually seeing Hogwarts this year. He was blind for our first year, and didn't know what it looked like, except for brief descriptions from us.

Fang was silent as always, but he was talking more and getting more involved in everything. Him and Iggy were going to try out for Quidditch this year, and so was I but the only person that knew was Ginny. Fred and George were on the Gryffindor Quidditch team as Beaters.

The old car started moving and when we left The Burrow's garden, George pressed a round button on the dash board and the car lurched forward and started flying. I could feel the seat vibrating beneath me. The Burrow disappeared as we rose higher and higher into the dark sky.

"Why couldn't me, Fang and Iggy just fly there ourselves?" I asked after five minutes of silence. "Because Harry lives in Surrey. You know how far away that is?" Fred said and I shook my head, blushing. The flock never went to school and everything we learned before Hogwarts was from the internet or Jeb...I shook my head. I wasn't going to think of him right now.

"Well, its really far from here, so it would take a long time for you to get there. This is faster." I nodded and it was quiet again. We flew for hours and I fell asleep at some point and woke up with my face smashed against the glass in the window and I spent the next few minutes rubbing my sore cheek.

Fred and George were telling us about the joke shop they were going to open once they left Hogwarts when we got into Little Whinging. "I think this is it. Whats the estates name again, Ron?" Iggy asked. "Privet Drive. It's number four," Ron said.

George pulled at the wheel and we started descending. George pushed another small silver button on the dashboard and the car disappeared from sight but I could still fell my seat vibrating. I looked out the window at the neighbourhood. I looked like the most normal estate I have ever seen in my life. And also the most boring one. I already hated it.

George started looking around for number four, but I already saw it. "There! On the left!" We went over and Ron said, "I wonder which room is Harry's..."

"Well, I'm not sure but I think it's the one with the bars on the window," Fang said, sarcasm dripping out of every word.

"What? There's bars on his window! I seriously hate them Muggles!" Iggy exclaimed and we all nodded in agreement. George pulled the flying car in front of Harry's bedroom. Ron, who was sitting next to the window that was closest to the house, put down the window and started rattling the bars. The curtains were open so we could see Harry sleeping on his small bed. I could also see Hedwig in her cage, with her head under her wing. Harry moved a bit, then mumbled, "Stop it...Go away..Leave me alone...I want to sleep"

"Fine then. We'll just leave you here. Lets go George," I said, and Harry opened his eyes. When he saw looked out the window, he looked confused at first, but then he beamed. He got out of bed and moved slowly towards the window and opened it.

"Ron," he breathed and stared at the rest of us. "Fred, George, Fang, Iggy, Max. What are you doing here?"

"What does it look like, moron? Were getting you out of here," Iggy said, looking Harry right in the eye. Harry seemed to notice the accuracy but didn't say anything. "Nice room, by the way. Very messy," Iggy continued. Harry's eyes widened and he said, "You can see!"

"Well yeah, we all wrote to you about it," I said, and Harry said, "I never got your letter. I'll explain later," he added.

"Anyway," Ron said, "Whats been going on? Dad came back from work one day saying you got a warning letter about using magic at home? What happened?"

"Well it wasn't me. It was an elf," Harry said and I frowned. Harry shook his head and looked back at Ron. "Well anyway you can't say much," he said, looking at the floating car. "Doesn't count," George explained, "We didn't enchant it. Dad did when he got it, were not actually using any magic. But Harry, doing magic in front of the Muggles-"

"I already said it was't me. The Dursley's locked me up in my room and won't let me go back to Hogwarts, and I obviously can't use magic to get out or else I'll get expelled for sure-"

"Harry, shut up. Your coming with us to our house," Fang said and Harry moved closer to the window so that his face was nearly touching the rusty bars. I noticed now how thin, and tired he looked. "But-but-" he spluttered. "You can't use magic either," he finally said. I smirked and looked at Fred and George. We went over the plan on the way here.

"Don't worry. Were not going to use magic," I grinned and reached down and grabbed the rope that was at my feet. I tossed it to Ron, who held it out to Harry and said, "Here. Tie this to the bars."

Harry took the rope and while he was tying it, he said, "If this wakes up the Dursleys, were all dead." "Stop being so pessimistic, Harry and hurry up," Iggy said. Harry finished tying the rope to the bar and Fred said, "Stood back a bit, mate." He stood back into the shadows next to Hedwig's cage and Fred handed me the other side of the rope.

"Don't let that go, alright?" I nodded and George revved the engine. The car became louder and louder the rope became harder to hold onto, but I managed to hold onto it until we heard a crunching noise and I looked back to see that not only were the bars gone, but so was most of the window. Harry was concentrating hard, probably listening for signs that the Dursleys were still asleep. I knew they were, I could hear they're snores from here.

We moved back to the window and George said, "Get your things, Harry. The faster we leave, the better."

"All of my things are in the cupboard under the stairs," he replied. "Right, well me, George, Fang and Iggy will get them..Stand back," he said and the four of them climbed out of the car into Harry's room. Harry started bustling around his room getting cloths, and I hopped from the car, stood on his desk and them jumped lightly onto the floor and started helping him. He smiled at me, and my heart did flips. I blushed and smiled back.

Every time we found something Harry needed, we passed it to Ron and he left it in the car. We finished, and Harry dashed downstairs to help the other boys. I waited in his room, and jumped when Vernon Dursley coughed.

The boys came in with all of Harry's things- his trunk, uniform, school books, wand and his Nimbus two-thousand. We put everything into the trunk and some things in his school bag. Fred and Iggy went back into the car to pull it in with Ron. The rest of us pushed the trunk through the window and it went through inch by inch. It was just in through the window when Hedwig, sensing the excitement, gave a loud hoot.

There was a thundering sound as Mr Dursley shouted "THAT BLOODY OWL!" It was followed by the sound of him running down the hall. The landing light clicked on and Harry rushed across the room and grabbed Hedwig's cage and handed her to Ron. We all scrambled onto his desk back into the car and Harry was the last person to get on it, and when he climbed on, the door burst open. Vernon Dursley was a large man with no neck and a large moustache and his face was a bright purple color.

He stood still for a second then he bellowed, "BOY! GET BACK HERE!" He ran over to Harry and snatched at his ankle. Harry kicked his leg and Dursley let go and stumbled backwards a few steps. Petunia and Dudley Dursley appeared in the door then. Petunia was a tall, thin woman and I was reminded strongly of a horse when I looked at her face. Dudley was small and fat like his father and his blond hair was lying flat on his fat head. The both looked terrified.

"PETUNIA! THE BOYS GETTING AWAY!" Vernon Dursley shouted and Petunia squeaked. Harry jumped into the car and slammed the door. The Dursley's were hanging out of the window, their mouths hanging open. Harry put his head out the window, his black messy hair whipping around in the wind, his green eyes alight with happiness, and shouted, "I'll see you next summer then!"

We all laughed and George directed the car back in the direction of The Burrow. I leaned back in my seat and smiled. This had been a great night.

_**Hey, so sorry that it sucked, but I'm really tired. We started school today. The rest of the chapters will be better, promise. And sorry that it took so long, I've been very busy :) Anyway, please REVIEW**_

_**REVIEW**_

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_**-Rach ;) **_


	2. Harry in the Burrow

**_AUTHORS NOTE!_**

**_Hey, here's the new chapter. Please review on this one, I didn't get that much on the first chapter, and if anyone is looking at it and you see a review thats from myself, that was actually my friend and she used my laptop and she didn't know I was already logged in._**

**_Sorry about that anyway, and I tried to get rid of it, but I don't know how. _**

**_Hope you like the chapter and PLEASE REVIEW! :D_**

**_Enjoy :)_**

**_-Rach ;)_**

**_Max's POV_**

We were in the car for a few hours, just talking about our summers so far and Harry had some interesting news. "Well a few days ago, a house-elf showed up in my bedroom."

"Whoa, whoa whoa, a house-elf?" Fred said. I frowned and asked, "Whats a house-elf?" The Weasley's looked at me stunned for a few minutes. "I wasn't raised by wizards, remember?" I said and they all nodded. "House-elves are like slaves. They have to serve a family pretty much they're whole lives. The only way to free a house-elf is to give them clothes."

"That sounds like cruelty!" I exclaimed. Iggy made a shut-up motion to me, and looked at Harry and said, "Why was there a house-elf in your bedroom?"

Harry started explaining how Dobby, the house-elf, appeared in his room and warned his that he would be in danger if he went back to Hogwarts "And Dobby was the one that was stopping me getting all of your letters," he finished. We all stared at him, and Fang said, "Thats strange..."

"Very strange," said Fred.

"Extremely strange," George said. Iggy opened his mouth to keep it going but I said, "Enough. Well, Harry, have you ever thought that maybe someone was trying to set you up, so you wouldn't go back to school?" Harry looked at me, then out the window. It was obvious he hadn't thought of that.

"You think he was lying to me?" Harry asked. Fred answered, "You see, house-elves have different magic then wizards, but they can't use it without their masters permission. So what I'm thinking, and what I'm sure Maxie," I scowled at my nickname and he chuckled and continued, "Is that Dobby was sent as a joke to keep the famous Harry Potter away from school. Is there anyone you can think of that would have a grudge against you?"

At the same time me, Fang, Iggy. Ron and Harry said, "Draco Malfoy."

The twins looked at each other. George said, "Is that Lucius Malfoy's son?" "Must be, it's not a really common name. Why?"

Fred frowned and muttered, "Well, old Lucius was a big supporter of You-Know-Who. And when he disappeared, he said he never wanted to follow him in the first place. Told the ministry that You-Know-Who threatened his family. Dad reckons that's a load of dung and that Lucius Malfoy was right in his inner-circle."

We've all heard these stories about the Malfoy's so this didn't surprise us at all. "Well, do the Malfoy's have a house-elf?" Iggy asked. Fred shrugged and said, "Well, whoever owns him must be really rich."

Ron looked at Harry and said, "I was getting really worried when you wouldn't answer our letters. We wrote to Hermione as well and asked her if you were talking to her and when she wrote back and said you hadn't, we started making the plan to come and get you," Ron glared at me and added in a carrying whisper in a posh accent, "Maximum wasn't in on the plan. She was there tonight when we were leaving and we had to bring her along." I glared at him and said, "Well, if you can remember correctly I didn't even want to go, _Ronald." _We laughed and George kept driving.

It was another few hours before we saw the sky started turning a light shade of pink. "We'll be there in another half-hour, I think," Ron said, peering over the seat to look out the window. The car started going lower and lower and I recognized where we were. It was the town closest to The Burrow, Ottery St. Catchpole. It was a really nice village, even though I was only there twice.

After another few minutes, The Burrow came into view. Harry's eyes widened when he saw it.

"TOUCHDOWN!" Iggy yelled when the car hit the gravel in The Burrow's garden. Harry was taking it all in, just like I did when I arrived here first. His eyes were wide and sparkling,and Ron was watching him, waiting to hear what Harry thought. He was always so embarrassed about being poor, but I didn't think it was that bad. The Weasley's have been getting money off the Ministry because they had officially adopted the six of us a few weeks ago. Ron's ears were slowly turning pink, and he mumbled, "It's not much."

"I think its amazing," Harry said in a dazed whisper. Ron's ears were now bright red. I smiled and we made our way to the house. I didn't even think about what would happen if Mrs Weasley would do if she woke up and we were all gone.

Fred was leading the way towards the house when the front door banged open and Mrs Weasley came marching across the yard. She had her wand in her hand and was waving it in a threatening manner. Everyone but Harry stopped in there tracks. I shared a scared look with Fred, who grinned cheekily at me and I had to bit my lip to stop myself snorting. Mrs Weasley was now standing in front of us and you could practically see the flames coming from her.

"Oh my," Fred whispered. George whimpered, "Oh, were in trouble now." Mrs Weasley's eyes snapped to George and she shrieked, "OF COURSE YOUR IN TROUBLE! I WENT IN TO CHECK ON ALL OF YOU AND YOU WERE ALL GONE! AND THEN I NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS GONE, BUT NOW I SEE WHERE IT HAS BEEN!" Her eyes flickered to Harry, then back to us.

"Mrs Weasley, were sorry. But Harry hasn't been answering our letters, and we were getting worried about him. We should of told you where we were going. We were irresponsible and were all very sorry," I said in a gentle voice, hoping to fool her like I fooled the Whitecoats back in the School when they caught me trying to escape. But Mrs Weasley was smarter then the scientists.

"Don't you try that on me Maximum Ride," she snapped, waving her wand in front of my face. I gulped and looked down at my dirty Converse. She lectured us for another ten minutes, then laid a hand gently on Harry's shoulder and guided him to the house. If it was possible, his eyes went even bigger when he stepped inside the door.

He looked at the interesting clock on the wall. It wasn't a normal clock, but one that could tell where each family member was every minute of the day. One every hand, there was a picture of a family member and where the numbers were meant to be, there were words like, "School, Sick, Mortal Peril, Jail, Work, Travelling." The clock only came back yesterday. There were now six new hands on the clock and they each represented the flock.

Mrs Weasley started making the breakfast and she was muttering under her breath the whole time. I could hear snippets of what she was saying, like, "Could of been seen," and "Reckless and stupid." We all sat at the table, and there was an awkward silence. After a few more minutes, Mrs Weasley started loading our plates full with food. She was still muttering, "What would happen if anyone had seen them...Flying an illegal car across the country..."

"Mum, they were starving him!" George suddenly cried. Mrs Weasley's warm brown eyes softened when she looked at Harry, and although she told George to be quiet and eat his breakfast, she was smirking a bit. She gave most of the food to Harry, who didn't object and he was finished before all of us. He saw me watching him and he shrugged.

Then, there was the sound of small footsteps and Ginny, Nudge and Angel appeared at the stairs. Ginny sat next to me and blushed when Fang smirked at her. Angel sat next to Harry and she was observing him. "Your Harry Potter," she said. Her golden curls were shining in the light from the window, and she looked...well angelic. Harry smiled and said, "Yes, I am. And you must be Angel. Max talks about you a lot." Angel beamed and said, "Really? Well, she talks about you all the time. And she thinks about you a lot too."

I choked on my milk, and Ginny thumped me on the back a few times. I smiled at her and she tried not to laugh. I sneaked a look at Harry. He was blushing, but was focusing on his breakfast. After a few short minutes, everyone was finished breakfast. Iggy yawned and stretched his long arms behind him.

"Merlin, I'm tired," he said. We all nodded in agreement and Fang said, "I think I'll go sleep for a whi-"

"You will do no such thing!" Mrs Weasley snapped. We all looked at her and she said, "I want you all to go and de-gnome the garden. Not you dear, "she said, looking at Harry. "You can go to bed if you want."

"No Mrs Weasley, I think I'll help. I've never seen it done before," Harry said immediately. Mrs Weasley beamed and said, "Well, dear it is dull work but if you really want to...Hold on a minute, and I'll check what Gilderoy Lockhart knows about de-gnoming." She bustled off towards the book shelf in the corner of the sitting room. I rolled my eyes and the boys groaned, except for Harry, who was frowning.

"Mum, we don't need to listen to Lockhart to know how to de-gnome the garden. We've done it plenty of times before-" Ron started, but Mrs Weasley said, "Be quiet Ronald! Now lets see here..." She started flicking through a large book. Written across the front was _Gilderoy Lockharts Guide to Household Pests. _I didn't know anything about Lockhart, but I hated him from the first moment I saw one of his books.

Mrs Weasley looked lovingly at the book and whispered, "Oh, he is just amazing..." When she realized that we had heard her, she blushed so red that he face was the same colour as her hair. I smirked at Harry. He was so confused.

"Yeah hes brilliant, thats why Mum fancies him," Fred said to Harry. "Oh Fred don't be daft. Alright then if you think you know better then Gilderoy, you go out and start now then," she said and we all marched out into the garden, except for Ginny, Nudge and Angel. Harry was telling the Weasley's about how there's garden gnomes in the Muggle world too, but Ron kept saying that they were different.

We spent the next few minutes flinging gnomes over the hedge until we heard the door open and close. "Hey, guys Mr Weasley is home," Iggy said. Even though he could see now his hearing was still the same as it had been. We all ran into the house and we saw Mr Weasley standing next to Mrs Weasley, and they were talking. When they saw us coming in, Mr Weasley sat down at the table and Mrs Weasley put a plate of breakfast in front of him.

He looked very tired, as he did every time he came home after work. "It was some night, Molly. Nine raids!"

"Hey Dad, Did you get anything?" Ron asked. "All I got was a biting kettle that nearly tore off my arm," he scowled. "Why would someone make a biting kettle?" I asked. I always found the things Mr Weasley gets at work interesting. "Muggle baiting, I suppose, Max. Every time someone wants a cup of tea, the kettle bites them. And of course, who would believe someone who says their kettle is biting them?"

"So, Arthur, would the same thing apply for, I don't know...A FLYING CAR, PERHAPS?" Mrs Weasley shouted. Ginny, Nudge and Angel entered the kitchen to see what was going on. Mr Weasley looked very nervous, and was fidgeting with the buttons on his cloak. "A f-flying car, Molly? Whatever made you think of that?"

"Well, maybe the fact that five of your sons and one of your daughters-" I blushed a little when she referred to us as there children. I noticed that Fang and Iggy did as well.

"-Took that flying car of yours last night, drove it to Surrey and then back here!" she finished. Mr Weasley spluttered a little, and finally managed to say, "But dear, why would they go to Surrey?"

Mrs Weasley pointed her wand at Harry, and snapped, "Because they wanted to be bloody heroes, so they went to rescue Harry Potter from his family's house!" Mr Weasley looked at Harry for the first time and looked shocked. He stood up and shook Harry's hand. "Great to meet you, Harry. The kids have been telling us all about you, of course."

"Its great to meet you too, Mr Weasley," Harry said, smiling. Mr Weasley sat down, and was still smiling. "Well? What have you got to say about this, Arthur?" Mrs Weasley snapped. I smiled and thought about how Mrs Weasley was the kindest woman I have ever met, but she can still look like a lion when she wanted to. "Well, Molly, I do think it was very reckless, but doesn't it show how loyal they are to they're friends?" Mr Weasley said slowly and carefully.

"LOYALTY?" Mrs Weasley thundered and Fred whispered quietly, "Lets go and leave them to it." I nodded and we climbed the stairs. I followed Ron, Harry, Fang and Iggy up to Ron's attic room. Fang and Iggy shared a room next to Ron's, and Harry would be staying in Ron's room.

Ron gently eased open his bedroom door and let Harry go in first. Like before, Ron waited anxiously for Harry's verdict on the room. When Harry didn't say anything, Ron said, "I know it's small, but..."

Harry turned around and after he looked at all of us in the face, he said, "It's the best house I have ever been in." Ron's ears went red, and I beamed at Harry. He didn't know how much it meant to Ron that he said that.

We all sat on Ron's bed, just talking. As I looked at everyone's faces, I knew this was going to be a great summer.

**_I know its short but the next chapter will be longer. My updates will not be very often as I started school this week. Anyway I hope you liked the chapter, and please REVIEW_**

**_REVIEW_**

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**_Thanks so much,_**

**_-Rach ;) _**

**_xxx_**


	3. The Small Black Diary

**_AUTHORS NOTE_**

**_Hey, thanks for the reviews and I'm sorry that it took so long to update. _**

**_To Annabeth Luxa Potter, your review was...interesting. I will do my best to follow the MR books as well. And I don't think the review was pointless, I thought it was hilarious. And I wonder if you did steal the pickles... haha_**

**_Anyway, here's the new chapter and I hope you enjoy it!_**

**_-Rach ;)_**

**_Max's POV_**

I was clear to everyone that Harry wasn't used to live at The Burrow. He seemed surprised that everyone in the house seemed to actually like him, and whenever someone started talking to him, he threw himself into the conversation as if he couldn't get enough of someone wanting to talk to him. He was never in a wizards house before, so watching him looking surprised every time something starting floating towards its owner, or when Mrs Weasley was making the dinner even though she was feeding the chickens.

I smirked at Harry when as he jumped when the mirror in the sitting room snapped at him, "Comb your hair!" I heard him whispering to Ron, Fang and Iggy at breakfasat one morning, "I don't know what your complaining about. The ghoul in the attic isn't that loud." Ron gave him a look that made Harry shut up. Mr Weasley always liked to sit next to Harry at meals and bombard him with questions about Muggles.

Harry always seemed so happy here, and whenever he smiled, I couldn't help but smile too.

One morning, around a week after Harry arrived here, the boys all came down for breakfast. Me, Ginny, Nudge, Angel and Gazzy were already sitting at the table. Mrs Weasley was standing around the stove, waving her wand at the food. Gazzy was coughing and sneezing every few minutes. He's had a cold ever since we played Quidditch in the rain a few days ago. Mrs Weasley went over to Gazzy and handed him a bottle of Pepperup Potion. Gazzy took it gratefully and as soon as he drank it, steam started coming from his ears. He grinned, and said, "How long will this last?"

She shrugged and said, "I'm not sure, sweetheart."

The boys sat down and Mrs Weasley loaded the table full with eggs, bacon, toast and loads more. After we ate, Mrs Weasley handed us all letters. I turned mine over and grinned. It was our Hogwarts letters, telling us what books we needed for this year. I opened mine and read it. There were only a few new books we would need, and I scowled darkly as I read the names of them.

_**SECOND-YEAR STUDENTS WILL REQUIRE: The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 by Miranda Goshawk**_

_**Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart**_

**_Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart _**

**_Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart_**

**_Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart_**

**_Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart_**

**_Wanderings with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart_**

**_Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart._**

George, who finished his, looked at mine and cried, "You've been told to get all the Lockhart books too! The new Defense Against Dark Arts must be a witch!" Nudge glared at him and growled, "What's that supposed to mean?" She was a _huge_ Lockhart fan. It made me disappointed.

George shrunk away and said, "Well, I doubt a bloke would be getting all Lockhart books. I mean, us men actually have some brains." This time, not only did Nudge glare at him, but so did me, Angel (always funny when you see a three year old glare!) and Mrs Weasley. George gulped and looked back at his letter.

Mrs Weasley looked worriedly at Iggy's letter. "There's a lot of books here. And we need to get Ginny's things as well. Well, I suppose we can get most of the stuff second hand..."

Percy walked in the kitchen, dressed and looking as clean as ever. He looked very happy about something, and happily sat at the table. "Good morning all. Isn't it a lovely morning?" he hummed cheerfully as he went to sit down. But before he could sit, he frowned and picked something up from his chair. It was Errol, the Weasley's owl. He was extremely thick and I think every one in the house has sat on him at one point.

Errol had a letter attached to his leg, and Ron stood up and said, "Stupid owl. I sent him to Hermione about a week ago, telling her that you were here..." He took the owl from Percy, who sat down and started put jam on his toast. Ron opened the letter and read it out loud. Hermione said that she was glad Harry was alright and she was really disappointed that we used a flying car, and that she thinks Errol might die on another journey. She said that she was getting her books in Diagon Alley next Wednesday, so we all agreed to go then too.

We sat off after breakfast to the small paddock at the back of the house. Seeing as the flock didn't have any brooms, we always used our wings. We spent the rest of the day playing sports, and the flock and Harry tried to teach the Weasleys some Muggle sports. They were really good at soccer.

We were woken up early Wednesday morning. After a huge breakfast provided by Mrs Weasley, we were guided into the sitting room. Harry looked nervous, and he stood beside me. Angel walked over to him and gripped his hand. Harry grinned at her, and she giggled.

Mr and Mrs Weasley went over to the fireplace and picked up a flowerpot. They peered into it, and Mr Weasley muttered, "Were running low, Molly. Do you think we should get some today?" Mrs Weasley nodded and ushered us forward.

"Who would like to go first? Harry, dear?" Mrs Weasley said kindly, and Harry looked back at her with a puzzled expression. "Its Floo Powder, dear," she said. "But Mrs Weasley, Harry's never used Floo Powder before," Fang said.

"Its alright Mum. Just watch me Harry," Fred said. He walked forward and took the flowerpot from his mother and stepped towards the fireplace. He walked into the fireplace and Harry's eyes widened. Fred threw the Powder onto the grate of the fireplace and shouted, "Diagon Alley!" In a rush of green flame,Fred disappeared. Harry looked scared and slowly stepped behind Fang.

Mrs Weasley said, "Harry, sweetie, come here. It's not frightening at all, all you have to do is stand in the grate, shout where your going, and thats it. Be sure to get out at the right grate..." she said as she fidgeted with her bag. Harry gulped and stood next to the grate with shaky legs. I smirked as I remember a few weeks ago. Harry had faced the man who killed his parents without a trace of fear on his face, but now he was shaking all over.

He took some Powder and walked slowly over to the fireplace. He threw the grey Powder, and shouted, "D-d-diagon A-alley." I frowned. Harry disappeared and the Weasley's looked at each other.

I went after Harry. I felt myself turning and turning and I was looking into other peoples sitting rooms from there fireplaces. Finally, when I was starting to fell sick from all the spinning, I felt myself slowing down and then I was on the floor, my blonde hair thrown around my shoulders. I stood up and looked around the grubby restaurant. I frowned when I didn't see Harry. I turned in a circle, and only seeing middle-aged witches and wizards.

I waited at a table for the rest of my family, and the Weasley's (who I was starting to think of as my own family). They saw me and walked over, then when Mrs Weasley noticed that I was alone, she asked, "Where's Harry, Max? Is he in the bathroom?" I looked down and shook my head. "Well where is he, sweeetheart?" she asked again, her voice slightly shaky. "I'm not sure. When I got here, he wasn't here. I don't know where he went."

Mrs Weasley turned to Mr Weasley. "Oh, Arthur! Where could of he of gone? Do you think he landed in a different grate?" "That's a possibility, Molly. He stuttered, so he wouldn't be that far. Maybe he ended up in a shop around Diagon Alley and he's walking around looking for us. I say we go out and wait for him to find us. Do you agree, Molly?" She looked reluctant at first, but agreed. We wandered out into the back yard, and Mr Weasley tapped his wand on certain bricks. The wall opened into a big arch, and we I took in the sight of Diagon Alley. It was beautiful and strange at the same time.

Mrs Weasley was muttering "Books...Robes...Wand...Potion ingredients..." she was muttering off everything that Ginny would need for her first year in Hogwarts. Ginny skipped up to me and linked her arm through mine. Nudge came up and did the same. Mr Weasley bent down and picked up Angel and started bouncing her on his hip and she started laughing. Mr Weasley grinned.

We made our way to Gringotts, but before we could get there, Iggy shouted, "Mrs Weasley! Is that Harry?" I wheeled around and saw not only Harry, who was covered in dirt, but also my best friend, Hermione Granger, and the grounds keeper of Hogwarts, Rubeus Hagrid. I beamed and I started running towards them, and the flock and the Weasley followed us. I hugged Hermione, and we both started laughing. "Max! I'm so happy to see you! How was your summer?" I pulled back from her and said, "Brilliant! What about yours?"

"Me and my parents went to France for a few weeks. It was beautiful, but I couldn't wait to go home," she said, still smiling, showing her over-large front teeth.

I turned to Hagrid and hugged him too as Ron hugged Hermione. "Hey Hagrid! What are you doing in Diagon Alley?"

"Had ter get Flesh-Eatin' slug Repellent. I was just sayin' it ter Harry there. There ruinin' all the school's cabbages." I laughed and turned back to Harry as I heard Mrs Weasley saying, "Oh, Harry where have you been? We've been so worried and we were only hoping that you had gone one grate too far!" She pushed him into a tight hug, then started patting down on his jumper, making the dust and dirt fly off.

"I ended up in Knockturn Alley-" Harry started, but as usual the twins interrupted.

"Really?"

"Thats bloody brilliant-"

"We've never been there before-"

"Whats it like?"

"Enough, boys! Harry, are you alright? What happened?" Mrs Weasley snapped. "I'm fine, really Mrs Weasley," Harry mumbled, embarrassed by all the attention. I thought he would of been used to it by now, seeing as he is The Boy Who Lived.

You see, when Harry was a baby, the most evil, cruel and merciless wizard, Lord Voldemort, went to his parents house. Voldemort killed his parents, and then tried to kill Harry, but was unable to do so. He ended up destroying himself, and Harry lived with nothing more then a lightening shaped scar on his forehead, over his emerald green eyes. Harry had to grow up in the Muggle word, with his aunt and uncle and cousin, who treated him badly. He told me that they made him sleep in a cupboard under the stairs. I was the only one he told because he knew of my past.

Me, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy and Angel were all born in America. We were raised there, but not with our families. We were raised in a lab called the School where we were put under painful experiments. The six of have wings. Were 98% human, 2% bird. When me, Fang and Iggy were ten years old, a whitecoat from the School took pity on us and kidnapped us. We spent the rest of that year living with the whitecoat- Jeb Batchelder- but on my eleventh birthday, a strange man with twinkling blue eyes appeared at our house in the Colorado mountains, and changed our lives...

At Christmas last year, Jeb was murdered. Voldemort did it. So we live with the Weasleys when were not at Hogwarts.

Mrs Weasley was thanking Hagrid for helping Harry, and after a few minutes, he departed to look for Flesh-Eating Slug Repellent. We started making our way to the shops, and Harry pulled me, Ron, Fang, Iggy and Hermione back. "Guess who I just saw at some creepy shop in Knockturn Alley?"

We looked at him and he whispered, "Malfoy and his dad."

"But what were they doing in Knockturn Alley?" Hermione asked, her warm brown eyes focusing on the ground as she was deep in thought. "Well, Mr Malfoy was threatening the block that worked there, and he was selling stuff to the shop." Mr Weasley over heard our conversation and stepped back to walk with us. "He didn't buy anything?" he asked. "No-like I said, just selling."

"Ah, so old Lucius is worried...Brilliant!" he said with glee. He grinned at Angel, who was still in his arms, and she giggled. She was going to be four just before Halloween...

We entered Gringotts and got all the money we needed. After that, we slowly made our way around Diagon Alley, Hermione and her Muggle parents staying with us. When we passed the book store, Flourish and Blotts, Mrs Weasley squeaked with delight.

"Oh my! Gilderoy Lockhart is doing a book signing right now! Lets go, we can get the books as well," she said and I groaned. The last thing I wanted was to see that git...

The shop was packed and we had to push our way around to get the books we needed. The Weasley's, me, Fang and Iggy all picked up second hand books. I caught Hermione glancing over her shoulder every few seconds, trying to get a look at Lockhart. I glared at her and her face went red.

When we had everything we needed, I headed towards the door, but Hermione grabbed me across the waist and dragged me over to the counter. Most of the people that were listening to Lockhart were middle-aged witches. There were about six wizards, all looking impatient and irritated. There was another tiny man by the door, waving a huge camera and saying, "Excuse me please, move out of the way..."

Gilderoy Lockhart was sitting at a large table that was full of books. I had to admit that he was a very good-looking man. He had wavy, blonde hair, and sparkling blue eyes. Around the table were pictures of himself, all smiling that twinkling smile. Hermione was breathless, as was Mrs Weasley and all of the other women in the room. I was disgusted to even see Nudge and Ginny smiling at him crazily. I looked at them with a disgusted face and I look at Ron. He was looking at everyone in the room and he was looking horrified.

Harry had a confused look and was glancing at the man with the camera. I noticed that the photographer kept flicking his eyes between Harry and Lockhart. It was only a matter of time before Harry was recognized. I made it look like I dropped something, then bent down to the ground and when I stood up, I was blocking Harry from the photographer. But the thing I hadn't thought of was that now Lockhart now had a perfect view of him.

He started talking about his book for around ten minutes. Then, when his dazzling eyes passed us, they stopped, and he was staring right at Harry.

"Well," he said in his soft voice, "It can't be Harry Potter..."

The crowd started whispering straight away. Harry looked down, blushing, but that didn't last long as Lockhart dived out and grabbed hold of Harry's jumper. Harry flung his arms back, as if he was trying to get us to grab him, and safe him from this embarrassment. Lockhart dragged him behind the table and threw this arm around his shoulders. The crown started applauding. Harry looked embarrassed, and kept his green eyes glued to my brown ones. I gave him a sympathetic look, and he grinned slightly.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is a brilliant day. The day young Harry stepped into this store, he did not know that he would be standing here with me, and leaving with my entire books collection, free of charge." There was small, polite applause, and I smirked at the boys behind me, who were doing there best not to laugh. I was doing the same, and it felt like my ribs might crack.

"Now the exact moment has come for me to make my exciting announcement. Not only will Mr Potter be leaving with my book, `Magical Me', but in September, him and his school friends will be actually getting the magical me! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, on the first of September, I will be the new Defense Against the Dark's Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" he cried and while most people cheered and applauded, I groaned and buried my face in my hands.

When I looked up, Lockhart was shaking Harry so much that his round glasses were falling down to the tip of his nose. The little man took more pictures and bustled off. Harry rejoined us and after we bought our books, we left the shop. But as we were at the door, Draco Malfoy walked in front of us.

"Bet you loved that didn't you Potter, Famous Potter, can't go anywhere without getting his picture taken," he sneered. At the same time, Nudge and Ginny stepped forward and said, "Leave him alone! He didn't want any of that!"

Malfoy smiled an evil smile and said, "Wow Potter. Two girlfriends? Here I was thinking you had something for Ride." Both Harry and I blushed. No one but myself knew about my crush on Harry.

"Guess your surprised to see Harry here then?" Ron snapped. Malfoy looked at him as if he was something he found on the underside of his shoe. "Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop Weasley. I'm guessing your family will have to starve for a month for paying for all of these," he said, and Fred had to hold me back from punching him. I had done it before, why couldn't I do it again?

Mr Weasley came over, just as Lucius Malfoy joined his son. They looked so alike, the only difference being the age difference.

"Well, well, well. Hello Arthur." his sneer was identical to his sons. "Lucius," Mr Weasley said.

"Isn't it very busy in the Ministry, Arthur? All these extra raids...I do hope there paying you over time. But, by the look of these," he picked up one of my books, "I highly doubt it. Whats the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if you aren't even payed well enough to buy your own children and some orphans good school books?"

Mr Malfoy put my books into my hands. I noticed it was slightly heavier then before, but I didn't take any notice because at that moment, Mr Weasley dived at Mr Malfoy. They crashed into the book shelf and brought it tumbling down. They were mumbled cries from the fighting men, and finally Hagrid, who had been outside with his bottle of Repellent, came in and lifted Mr Weasley up. He had a split lip, and Mr Malfoy had a bleeding nose and a black eye. Draco was glaring at us, and I smiled slyly at him and said, "See Malfoy? No one in your family can win in a fight. See you at school." I winked at him and followed my friends and family out into the street.

* * *

><p>When I got home that night, I looked through my books. There were all the Lockhart ones, and what I saw made me want to throw up. They were all signed by Lockhart. I closed them and threw them into my trunk. I noticed a small black book on my bed, under the book that Malfoy had inspected. I picked it up. It was a diary. I looked at the back, and saw a name engraved in gold letters on the back.<p>

_Tom Marvolo Riddle._

Mrs Weasley must of given it to me, I thought. I flicked through it. It was empty. I shrugged and left it on my table, and climbed into bed.

**_Hey so sorry it took so long. _**

**_wow, this chapter is sooo long. I think its the longest I've ever written. Anyway, please tell me what you think by REVIEWING_**

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	4. Where Have The Boys Gone?

**_AUTHORS NOTE_**

**_Hello to all those who read my stories. How are you today?_**

**_So here's the new chapter, and I hope you like _****_Enjoy and please review!_**

**_-Rach ;)_**

**_Max's POV_**

The summer was coming to an end far too fast for our liking. Don't get me wrong, I couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts, but the thought of leaving Nudge, Angel and Gazzy for a few months were making me want to stay here forever. They weren't old enough to go to Hogwarts yet, but Nudge was ten now, so next year she was going to be off to Hogwarts as well.

On the last night of the summer holidays, Mrs Weasley made a great dinner which involved all of our favorite foods, and it ended with a delicious treacle tart. Harry's mouth dropped when he saw everything. After dinner Fred and George pulled us out into the garden. Then they set off a bunch of Filibuster fireworks that went on for nearly half and hour.

When that was over, Mrs Weasley sent us up to our rooms to pack for tomorrow. As I was there, I kept glancing at the black diary that had once belonged to Tom Marvolo Riddle. I abandoned the packing, and picked it up. I sat at my desk, and flicked through it. It was empty.

I picked up the quill next to my lamp and wrote;

_My name is Maximum Ride. _

I sighed and left the diary back down. I didn't know what else to write, and besides, I had to get back to packing. But, just as I was about to stand up, something on the page changed. Words started appearing on the page, as if someone was standing next to me writing them.

_Hello, Maximum. My name is Tom Riddle._

I stared at the page, smiled, and picked up the quill.

* * *

><p>I woke up in the morning by banging on my bedroom door. "Max! Are you awake? Breakfast is ready, then we have to leave for Kings Cross." It was Mr Weasley. I lifted my head. I fell asleep at my desk, writing to Tom. I didn't know how it worked, but we've been talking to each other all night.<p>

Half of my clothes were thrown all over my room, and I jumped up and started throwing everything into my trunk. As I was doing this, I shouted, "Yeah, Mr Weasley. I'm just getting dressed. I'll be down in a minute!" I heard him walk away, and I finished throwing everything into my trunk. I took of the clothes I was wearing yesterday and found a clean shirt and jeans. I picked up my trunk and school bag and was about to leave the room when I remembered something.

I ran back to my desk and put the diary into my school bag.

After we had breakfast, we all piled into the old Ford Anglia. Mr Weasley had used magic on the car to make it bigger so we could all fit. He hadn't told Mrs Weasley, so when her and Ginny went into the front seat, she muttered, "These Muggles do make this very big, don't they?" Mr Weasley gave his wife a nervous smile, and winked at us.

Everyone's luggage was in the trunk which had also been enlarged.

We left The Burrow, and I watched as Harry stared at it. I knew he was wondering when he would see it again. because I was wondering the same thing. We arrived at King Cross Station with ten minutes to spare, and we walked towards the hidden barrier that separated the Muggle word and Platform Nine and Three and Quarters.

"Percy, you go first," Mrs Weasley said and Percy, who had his Prefect badge gleaming on his chest, walked forward and disappeared through the wall. The twins went next, holding Ginny by the arm and they guided her and Mrs Weasley went after them. Then I turned to Nudge, Angel and Gazzy and hugged them and kissed them each on the cheek.

"See you guys before you know it! I love you," I said as I wheeled the trolley with my trunk and Freedom's cage towards the wall. I ran forward and went through the wall onto Platform Nine and Three Quarters. There it was, the large scarlet red Hogwarts Express. All around me there were families saying goodbye to there children, there brothers and sisters, grandchildren. Hermione had told me that she would wait for me...

I searched the faces of the people around me, and finally I saw the bushy brown head of Hermione Granger.

"Hey Granger!" I called in my best Draco Malfoy impression, which was very good. She turned around, already glaring, but her brown eyes softened when she saw me. She smiled and ran over to me. "Max!" She hugged me and I turned around to see where Fang, Iggy, Ron and Harry went. I didn't see them anywhere, so I just assumed they were already on the train. I spotted the Weasley's and me and Hermione went over to them.

"Hey, Mrs Weasley, have you seen the boys? They were behind me outside, but I haven't seen them yet," I said as Mrs Weasley hugged her children goodbye. She went over to me and hugged me and said, "No, I haven't seen them. Maybe there already on the train."

I was about to say goodbye, but as soon as I opened my mouth, a loud, shrill whistle sounded from overhead, and the people who we were still on the platform said there last goodbyes and ran on to the train. I hugged Mr and Mrs Weasley again, then Nudge, Angel and Gazzy, and then me and Hermione left for the train. We walked down the corridor of the train, looking for the boys, but we couldn't find them. When we found an empty compartment, me and Hermione agreed to go in there and later we would look for them.

We went in and put our trunks on the luggage rack and sat down. The train started moving and Hermione satarted telling me about her holiday in France. When she finished, I put France on the list of places I wanted to go once I finished school.

About three hours later, the old witch that pushed the food trolley came passed our compartment. Me and Hermione bought sweets, and I opened a box of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans. We ate and after an hour and a half, went to look for the boys.

We split up, Hermione going right and me going left. I was looking into all the compartments, but didn't see them anywhere. I rolled my eyes as I passed a compartment full of Slytherins, Draco Malfoy being one of them. He saw me looking in and smirked. He stood up, and opened the door and stepped into the corridor. I put my hand on my wand, twelve and a half inches, oak and phoenix feather, which was in the waist band of my jeans.

"What do you want, Malfoy? I have somewhere to be," I said, inspecting my fingernails, not even looking at him. "Well, Ride, I just wanted to teach you a lesson. That blood-traitor you live with broke my father nose," he said, and when I looked at him, I noticed that he had his wand out, and I was pointing at me.

I started going for my own wand, but I wasn't fast enough. Malfoy waved his wand, a blue light shot out and hit me in the ribs. I fell back onto the ground and fell into darkness.

* * *

><p>When I woke, up Hermione and our fellow Gryffindor second year, Neville Longbottom, were standing over me. I groaned and sat up. I was back in the compartment. "What happened?" I mumbled. Hermmione and Neville looked at each other, then at me. "Well, I was walking back to find you," Hermione said, "And I saw Malfoy talking to you. He took out his wand, and cursed you. I tried to do something, Max, I really did, but I wasn't close enough. I'm sorry!" she cried and I was shocked to see she was close to crying.<p>

"Oh, Hermione, its not your fault. I don't blame you. It was Malfoy's fault, not yours. Don't cry," I said, smiling, and she gave me a watery smile. I stood up on shaky legs and said, "Wheres Malfoy? I want to punch him into next Wednesday," I growled, but Neville out his hand on my shoulder. Neville was a round-faced boy, with dark brown hair and blue eyes. He was very shy and very kind. "Don't Max. You'll just get into trouble, and we can always tell McGonagall when we get to school."

I looked at Hermione and knew that I had lost. I rolled my eyes and said, "Fine, fine. But the next chance I get, I'm going to hit him. And you can't stop me."

I went over to the window and opened it. Just as I was about to sit down, I thought I saw something in the sky. A blue car, flying through the clouds...I shook my head and sat back down. I'm probably just seeing things...

Neville stayed with us for the rest of the journey, and it went by fast. Before I knew it, a voice was calling all around the train telling us that we will be at Hogwarts in five minutes. I stood up, and pulled down my trunk. I found my uniform- a white shirt, a jumper with the Gryffindor crest on it, a tie with the Gryffindor colors, and a black skirt and to complete it, a long black robe with the Gryffindor crest on the right hand side.

I changed quickly and the three of us left the train, and stepped onto Hogsmeade Station. Still, Fang, Iggy Ron and Harry were no where to be found. I was getting really worried, and when I voiced my thoughts, Hermione turned in a full circle, and looked worried. Even Neville frowned worriedly. I heard the familiar voice calling out, "Firs' years over here!" Hagrid was standing at the end of the platform with a large lamp, calling over the first years.

I saw Ginny looking scared as she walked over with the other first-years. I gave her an encouraging smile, and she smiled back. I followed the rest of the school over to the carriages that moved on their own. Me, Hermione and Neville got into a carriage with some Ravenclaws that I hadn't realy talked to last year.

We were at the large castle within five minutes. The carriage stopped, and a Ravenclaw boy opened the door and we all hoped out. The boy was staring at me, and I smiled at him. He grinned back, then walked over to me.

"Hey," he said casually. "My name is Ethan St James. Your in my year, right?" I nodded and said, "Yeah, I'm in Gryffindor. My name is Max Ride."

"Its great to meet you, Max," he smiled and stuck out his hand. I shook it, and we walked to the doors together. The front doors were thrown open, and when we walked in, the flickering candle-light made it easier to see Ethan. He was tall, and he had thick, dark brown hair and bright, hazel eyes. He was really cute, I thought, as he told me about himself. He was Muggle-born, and he had a little sister called Lucy.

He asked me what blood-statues I was, and I was about to answer, but stooped. I had no idea if I was pure-blood, half-blood or Muggle-born. I looked at him and I said, "Uh, well to be honest, I have no idea. I heard that my father went to this school, but I don't know anything about my mom." He gave me a sad look that I ignored. We entered the Great Hall and I smiled at him and said, "Well, I'll see you later, Ethan." He gave me a cute smile.

"Yeah. See ya Max."

We went in different directions. I found Hermione and Neville and sat next to them. Hermione gave me a knowing smile, and I rolled mu eyes. She giggled. "Oh, shut up," I said, fighting a smile. We sat, and talked to everyone, exchanging summer details. Fred and Georges friend, Lee Jordon, came over and said to me, "Hey Maxie. See You-Know-Who over the summer? He's know to go after people who annoy him." He winked and I smiled. "No, Lee. I didn't see _Voldemort _over the summer. And if I did, I would be sure to send him straight to you."

He laughed and clapped my shoulder. "You should help me, Fred and George with our start of the year prank," he laughed and I nodded. He walked away back to his friends.

The doors opened and McGonagall strode it, followed by the scared looking first-years. I looked at they're pale, scared faces, and said to Hermione. "We did not look like that on our Sorting."

Hermione snickered and nudged me and pointed to one of the first-years. It was Ginny, and I was proud to see that she didn't seem to look scared. One by one, the first-years got sorted into one of four houses. There was Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin.

I watched McGonagall as she called, "Weaskey, Ginevra!" Ginny walked up to the small stool and placed the old batted Sorting Hat onto her head. I slipped down passed her eyes, and all you could see was the end of her long, red hair. It only took a few seconds, but I cheered with everyone else as the Sorting Hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Ginny smiled and handed the hat back to McGonagall. She sat down with the other new Gryffindors, and she smiled at us. I waved and mouthed, "Well done!"

The last first-year got sorted, and Dumbledore stood up. He spread his arms wide and said, "Welcome to the new students, and welcome back to the old. I do hope your summers were great, and enough to empty your heads! Now without further ado, let the feast begin!" He sat down and the golden plates in front of us filled with magnificent food. I was looking around the table, but still, no sign of the people I wanted to see most.

When the feast was over, Dumbledore stood up once again. The Hall fell silent and Dumbledore smiled.

"Now, before I let you all hop off to your comfortable beds that are awaiting for you as we speak, I have a few announcements I would like to give. As always, the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds to all students. Also, seeing as the third-floor corridor was forbidden last year, it is re-open now. The caretaker , Mr Filch, has asked me to remind you all that there is a list of all the banned objects from Hogwarts. Now, off you go to bed so you can be up for your classes in the morning!" The prefects started showing the first-years where to go, and me and Hermione followed.

As we walked, I heard a Hufflepuff girl saying, "Yeah, I heard that Potter, Weasley, Griffiths, and Martinez flew here in a flying car!"

I looked at Hermione, and by the look on her face, she heard it too. She grabbed my arm and dragged me away from the crowd. "Hermione-where are we going?" I panted. "If thats true, then the guys aren't going to be coming up here yet. And besides there not going to know the password."

"And you do know the password?" I asked as we made our way around the castle. We were taking the long way to the common room.

"I asked Percy and he told me," she said.

We stopped running and as we did, I heard a familiar voice saying, "Er-we don't know the password." It was Iggy. I ran forward and saw the four of them standing outside the portrait of the Fat Lady. Iggy was rubbing his head, looking confused. It was Fang that saw us first, and he tapped Harry on the shoulder. Harry looked over his shoulder, and he smiled.

I glared at them, and without a word to the boys, I turned to Hermione. "Well, whats the password?" She ignored me and turned to the boys. "Well?" she said, and they just stared at her.

"Is it true?" she insisted. Still, they just stared at her. I lost my patience and snapped, "Is it true you morons were late for the train, so you took Mr Weasley's car and flew it to school?"

I was satisfied to see that they all looked guilty. "Um...Well...Yeah," Iggy mumbled. I glared at him and he looked down at his shoes. I looked at Harry and raised my eyebrows.

"We tried getting in through the barrier after you, but it was closed. And there was about two minutes left, we shouldn't of been kept out. But we were, so we decided to wait by the car, and then Iggy suggested that we just use the car to get here, so we did. I know it was stupid, but we didn't have any other choice if we wanted to get here," he said, looking very ashamed. I breathed out and decided to forgive them.

"Why on earth didn't you just send a letter to the school explaining what happened?" Hermione asked, looking distraught at the thought of them breaking the rules on the first day of school. "Thats what McGonagall said," Ron said, looking very irritated that Hermione was lecturing them about this.

"Oh, so you've already got your punishments?" I knew that Hermione wouldn't be talking like that if it wasn't clear that Ron was mad at her. Ron glared at her, and Fang, sensing the danger, said, "Yes. We all have detention. But they couldn't take any points because we took the car before term actually started." Hermione opened her mouth, but Ron cut across her.

"Look, just skip the lecture Hhermione." A look of hurt crossed her face, and I was the only one who noticed it. "Can you give us the password, sweetheart?" Iggy said in a joking voice. I'm guessing her saw the hurt look too...

Hermione gave him a small smile and turned to the Fat Lady. "Wattlebird." The door swung open, and we stepped in. As soon as we were in the common, everyone in there started clapping and cheering. I was pushed out of the way by some seventh year, and then me and Hermione went over to the fire and sat on the couches around it. I listened as Lee Jordon told everyone that would listen about how Harry, Ron, Iggy and Fang drove the car into a huge tree in the grounds- The Whomping Willow. And how the Whomping Willow had attacked them. I had seen that tree last year when I would go flying in the mornings.

After a while of talking to their adoring fans, Harry, Fang, Ron and Iggy finally told them that they were tired and they wanted to go to bed. They departed for the boy's dormitory, Harry giving me and Hermione a look that clearly said, "Sorry I'm famous."

**_Hey, here's the fourth chapter. Hope you liked it and please REVIEW!_**

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	5. The Howler

**_Hey! Thanks for the reviews! Max Artemis Potter, your review meant a lot to me, thank you very much! :)_**

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**_-Rach ;)_**

**_Max's POV_**

Hermione and I entered the Great Hall the next morning, and after McGonagall gave us our timetables, we went over to the Gryffindor table and sat with the other second years. As soon as we sat down, Hermione opened her bag and pulled out one of Lockhart's books and propped against the milk jug. She said `Morning,' to the boys darkly, and they all stared at each other. I smirked, and pulled a plate of toast towards me. Neville walked over, smiling cheerfully, and sat down next to me. I glanced around the Hall, hoping to see Ethan St James, but I couldn't see him. I felt oddly disappointed. My gaze wandered over to the Slytherin table, and I saw the white-blonde hair of none other then Draco Malfoy.

He saw me looking, then nudged Goyle, then pointed at me, and mimicked me fainting. I glared at him, and my hand moved towards my wand. Iggy, noticing the exchange between us, looked at me carefully, said, "Max, what is going on?" I glowered. He didn't miss anything sense he got his sight back.

"Nothing, Ig. Just Malfoy being an idiot like always? Toast?" I handed the plate to him, a fake smile on my face. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hermione and Neville sharing glances, and I knew that Iggy had seen it. He gasped, and that got the attention of Harry, Fang and Ron. Just as Iggy was about to say what the thought happened, I was saved.

The post had arrived.

Over a hundred owls streamed in through the windows surrounding the Hall, flying around the ceiling looking for their owners. I looked up, and when I didn't see the brown owl with white streaks-just like my wings- I looked back down and my breakfast.

I heard a screech, and moved my head out of the way right on time. Errol landed right where my head had been. He had a bright red envelope in his beak, and as soon as Ron set his eyes on it, his face lost all colour.

"Oh no," he whimpered. All around him, pure-blood and half-blood kids were snickering. Even Hermione looked like she was trying not to laugh. I looked at her, and said, "What is it?" She beamed and giggled, "Just wait."

I watched Ron as he gently pulled the envelope from Errol's beak. As soon as the owl was free of the burden, he spread his short wings and took flight. I was really jealous of him at that moment.

Ron looked like he was going to be sick. He was handling the envelope as if if he touched it wrong, he would burn himself. I was pleased to see I wasn't the only one who was confused. Fang, Iggy Harry, and some Muggle-borns were all frowning.

That was when I noticed that the whole Hall was silent, and everyone else from Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin were all standing up in there seats to get a better look. Finally, Ron opened the letter.

As soon as it unfolded, I thought the whole place had exploded. A voice echoed around the silent hall, a voice I later recognized as Mrs Weasley's.

"_RONALD WEASLEY, FANG MARTINEZ AND IGGY GRIFFITHS! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? STEALING THAT CAR? I'M SURPRISED YOUR NOT ALL EXPELLED! I SUPPOSE YOU DIDN'T THINK WHAT ME AND YOUR FATHER WENT THROUGH WHEN WE COULDN'T FIND YOU THREE, AND THE CAR WAS GONE!_

_"WHEN WE GOT THE LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME! NOW, HE'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! YOU THREE AND HARRY COULD OF DIED!" _I saw Harry looking down with his face red. He felt bad for what happened.

_"AND IF EITHER OF YOU SET ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE, YOUR ALL GOING STRAIGHT HOME! WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST STAY WITH MAX? SHE GETS IN TROUBLE ALL THE TIME, BUT NOT LIKE THAT!" _

I looked at Ron, Fang and Iggy. They were all pale, and were staring at each other in shock. There was silence that was interrupted by a sixth year Slytherin, who started laughing. After him, every one was laughing, except for the Gryffindors. I stood up, and grabbed Iggy's shoulder. "Come on," I muttered, and we left the Hall. Fang was silent as always, but this was a different silence. He was upset. Really upset, by the way he was walking. He was trailing behind us, eyes on the floor, shoulders slumped and his fists clenched tight.

"You guys go on," I said, and the others went outside for Herbology. I waited for Fang to catch up, and I said, "Whats up, Fang?" He looked at me as if he didn't even know I was there until I spoke. "Nothing Max. Really, its nothing."

I smirked. "Yeah, yeah its nothing. I really believe that. You know you can't lie to me." He looked me in the eyes, and sighed. He knew I was right.

"Well, I fell really bad about taking the car. I know we deserved the Howler, but that really made me think about what we did. I'm sorry we did it, and I know it was really stupid, but there was nothing else we could do. Now Mr Weasley's in trouble with the Ministry because of us, and he is the closest thing to a dad we had since Jeb died, and I don't want us to have to leave them. I love the Weasley's like they were my own family, and in a way, they are our family. I just have a feeling that somethings going to happen, and I don't like it," he said. I was amazed. That was the most he has ever spoken, ever. He leaned in closer and whispered,

"What if its something to do with the School?" I looked into his dark, dark eyes and said in my best leader voice, "Fang, the School is never going to get us again. I will never let that happen, not to you, me Iggy, or the younger ones. I will never let that happen. And if they come, which I doubt they will, I will go down screaming and fighting doing my best to make sure everyone is safe. Do you understand?" Fang nodded, grinning. It was the same speech I gave to Fang on the first night we got to the house Jeb brought us too.

He pulled me into a hug, and when he let go, we went down to the greenhouses. I saw Lockhart talking to Harry, and Professor Sprout was leading the Gryffindors and the Hufflepuffs into greenhouse three. Harry turned around when he heard us, and gave me a pleading look which I ignored, but as I neared the greenhouse, I heard Lockhart call out, "Oh, Miss Ride! May I have a word?" Fang threw me a smirk and continued into the greenhouse. I glared at the back of his head, then, growling under my breath, went over to Harry and Lockhart.

"Hello Professor," I said in a sarcastically happy voice. Lockhart didn't notice, he just seemed to think I was another one of his fans. "Hello Miss Ride. Please give me a moment, I'm not finished talking to Mr Potter here. Wait there." I raised my eyebrows, but didn't say anything. I didn't want detention on the first day of school...again.

"Now, Harry. I heard about what you and your friends did last night. I must blame myself, and I am very sorry," Lockhart said. Harry looked bamboozled, and I felt the same. Why was Lockhart sorry for them driving into a tree?

"I gave you that first taste of fame in the book shop, getting you on the front page of the paper and you couldn't wait to do it again, Harry," he said, smiling. I burst out laughing, but covered it up as a violent coughing fit. Harry glared at me, and I smiled. He turned back to Lockhart, and tried, "No, Professor you don't-"

"Dear boy, theres plenty of time for you to get noticed. You don't have to be driving cars to school, you know. Plenty of time for that when your older. Now, I know what your thinking Harry. `Why is he telling me this when hes already famous around the world?' But let me say this. When I was your age, Harry, I was just as much of a nobody as you are right now. Actually, more of a nobody! I'm guessing a few people have heard about you, I suppose...What with all the business about You-Know-Who, and what not. It's not as big as winning Witch-Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award fice years in a row, but its a start, Harry, it's a start."

This time, I didn't bother to hide my laughter. I doubled over and laughed until I couldn't breath. When I straightened up, there were tears streaming down my cheeks. Harry was glaring at me, and looking at Lockhart as if he was mentally unstable. "Now, then Harry. Off you trot, or Sprout will have my head," Lockhart winked at Harry, and Harry strode off to the greenhouse without a second glance.

Lockhart turned to me, and smiled. "Now, Maximum-" I interrupted him and said, "Max." He frowned and said, "I'm sorry? Max?"

I rolled my eyes and said, "Yes. Max is short for Maximum. Everyone calls me Max." Lockhart smiled again. Does he ever stop? "Well, Max. Dumbledore discussed something with me last night and I wanted to ask you about it."

My eyes widened. He was going to ask me about my wings. I knew Dumbledore forbid the teachers to ask us about it. The only people at Hogwarts that knew about the School were Dumbledore, McGonagall, Hagrid and Harry, Hermione and Ron.

I looked his straight in the eye. "And what was that, sir?" I asked innocently. He whispered in my ear, "Your _wings." _"I'm sorry, sir. I'm not talking to you about them. I don't talk to anyone about my wings. If you want to know, ask Dumbledore." I turned around and walked away. He called after me, "I can just ask your brothers!" I frowned, thinking. Then I realized he must be talking about Fang and Iggy. I snickered and turned around so I was walking backwards.

"One, were not actually related. Two, there tell you the same thing. And three, I'm not one of your fans." I beamed at the look on his face, and went into the greenhouse.

"Miss Ride, why are you fifteen minutes late?" Professor Sprout asked. "Sorry miss. Professor Lockhart was asking me questions," I said, trying to give her a look. She must of understood, because she said, "That man! He had no right to ask you that! I'l talk to Dumbledore later. Find a partner, Max." There were confused whispering around the greenhouse. I heard Susan Bones asking, "Why is Sprout all worked up? All Max said was that he was asking questions?"

I joined Hermione at a table and Professor Sprout said, "Miss Granger, will you explain what were doing to Max?" Hermione nodded and Professor Sprout went off to talk to Neville, her best second-year student.

"Were re-potting Mandrakes today. Mandrakes are powerful restorative. They can change people back who have been Transfigured, or cursed. There cry could kill you, so put on some earmuffs," Hermione explained. I picked up a pair of fluffy earmuffs and me and Hermione set to work.

We grabbed a Mandrake by the top of the head, and pulled it out of its pot. It shrieked, but I couldn't hear anything. We dropped in into the empty pot next to us, and quickly started piling in the dirt on top of it. As soon as it was covered in dirt, it stopped shrieking.

At the end of the class, everyone was sweaty, and aching all over, and covered in dirt. We made our way to Transfiguration. and I grinned when I remembered that it was with Ravenclaws. We waited outside the classroom door, and then the Ravenclaws came. I saw Ethan, and without thinking, I waved to him. He waved back and smiled. "Who's that?" Fang asked. I turned around and saw that Harry was staring at the door.

"Oh, no one. We got the carriage to the school together, and we talked. He's really nice. He's name is Ethan St James," I said. Fang looked at Ethan, who was talking to another boy from Ravenclaw. Terry Boot.

McGonagall came and opened the door. She spent the first few minutes lecturing us about how important school was and blah blah blah. Then she went around the class handing everyone live beetles. Lavender Brown, one of the girls I share the dormitory with, gave a shriek. "Miss Brown, please calm down. There beetles, there not going to eat you," McGonagall snapped, rolling her eyes. Hermione and I giggled. I liked Lavender, but sometimes, she was just so clingy.

We were meant to be Transfiguring the beetles into buttons. Hermione got it on her second try, and I go it on the third. McGonagall gave us ten points for Gryffindor each, but I noticed that the boys, who were sitting behind us, weren't having much luck. I glanced back, and saw that Ron's wand seemed to be held together by Spellotape.

"Ron! What happened to your wand?" I asked, my eyes wide. Mr and Mrs Weasley were not going to like that Ron broke his wand. "Well, when we crashed into the Whomping Willow last night, it broke against the steering wheel," he mumbled miserably. I watched as Ron tried to change the beetle, but the biggest change he made to it was when he killed it by accidentally squashing it. McGonagall was not please, but gave him a new one.

I resisted the urge to ask her why she had so many, and whether it was something to do with the fact that she could change into a cat at will.

We left that class and went to lunch out in the courtyard. We had just started eating, and we were listening to Ron curse his wand when a first year wearing a camera around his neck came behind me. "Hello, Harry," he said nervously. Harry looked up from his food, and said, "Uh...hi. Do I know you?"

The boy shook his head fast and said, "No, but I know you."

I looked at Harry and said, "Am I the only one that thought that sounded really creepy?" Harry smiled, and looked back at the boy. "Whats your name?"

"Colin. Colin Creevey," he said breathlessly. He stepped forward a bit, and said, "Can I have a picture, Harry?" We all snorted at Harry's face. He looked like a Bludger had just hit him straight in the face. "A-a picture?" he stammered. Colin nodded, and raised his camera. Harry was about to tell him not to take the picture, but it was too late. Colin took the picture, and started lowering the camera. He was beaming.

"Thanks Harry!" Then he looked around, and his eyes found me. "! Whats your name?" he asked me. I frowned and said, "Max Ride. Why do you want to know?" Colin blushed and said fast, "Your really pretty, Max." He turned back to Harry, and said, "And Harry, maybe when the photo is ready, maaybe you-you could sign it?" Colin asked and Harry stayed silent, trying to think of a nice way to tell Colin to go away, but of course, someone had to come over.

"Your giving out signed-pictures Potter?" said the drawling voice that could only belong to Draco Malfoy. We wheeled around, and there he was, standing as usual in between Crabbe and Goyle, who were looking twice as big and twice as stupid. Malfoy shouted, "Hey everyone! The famous Harry Potter is giving out signed photos! Line up if you want one!" The three of them laughed, as did everyone else in the courtyard.

"Whats this? Who's giving out signed pictures?" Gilderoy Lockhart appeared over Malfoy's shoulder. Hermione blushed and covered her face with her long hair. "Potter is sir," Malfoy smirked.

"No, Malfoy, hes not. And this is none of you business, so you can just hop off like the ugly little twat you are and leave us alone," I said. What happened on the train was hot on my mind, and apparently it was the same on Malfoy's.

"Miss Ride! Don't talk to your classmates like that!" Lockhart exclaimed. He looked at Harry and said, "Ah, I shouldn't of asked! Come on then, Creevey, a double picture with the both of us. Couldn't get better then that. eh, and we'll both sign it!" Colin nodded, and raised his camera again. Lockhart threw his arm over Harry's skinny shoulder and smiled. Harry looked horrified. Colin took the picture, and then ran off when the bell rang.

Lockhart wandered off, and when I was sure he was gone, I walked over to Malfoy and did something I have been dying to do since I met him. I punched him right in the nose.

"Ahhh!" he yelled and fell backwards. Everyone that was still around started laughing. Crabbe and Goyle started towards me, and I gave them a cheeky grin. They were nothing compared to the Erasers. Crabbe swung his arm at me, and I ducked. I crouched down low on the ground, and did a sweep-kick. They both fell to the ground.

The students still there laughed and started clapping. I smiled and walked over to my friends, who were waiting by the door into the castle. They were smiling, and when I reached them, they clapped me on the back. We laughed and went to our next class, not knowing how much of a disaster it was going to be.

**_Hey! Hoped you like it, and I hope it wasn't a bad chapter! _**

**_Please, please, please REVIEW_**

**_REVIEW_**

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**_Quick question time: Was I the only one that thought Max was a boy when reading The Angel Experiment? For the first few chapters, I thought Max was a boy, then I realized that she was a girl, and I felt really stupid...Review with an answer!_**

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**_P.S i'm sick at the moment, so updates might not be as frequent. Sorry! _**

**_-Rach ;)_**


	6. Tryouts and Mudbloods

**_AUTHORS NOTE!_**

**_Really? Is it that hard to review? Come on people! Is this story that bad? Please review on this chapter!_**

**_I hope you like this chapter, and I hope you review on this one..._**

**_-Rach ;)_**

**_Max's POV_**

I walked through the dark grounds alone, breathing nervously, the old school broom hung over my shoulder. I stopped when I saw the Quidditch pitch looming in the distance. I'd feel better if Fang or Iggy had come with me, like we planned, but just moments after Oliver Wood, the sixth-year Gryffindor captain, told us when the tryouts were, McGonagall gave, Fang and Iggy notes telling them that they're detentions were tonight at the same time as tryouts. Harry and Ron were having detention next week. They had all wished me good luck, and I set off to the pitch.

I took a shuddering breath and strode on. I was at the pitch in five minutes, and when I went in, I was shocked to see that I was the youngest one there. Everyone else was from fourth year and up. I swallowed, then took a few deep breaths and went over to stand next to Oliver Wood.

"Oh, Ride there you are. Alright, now that everyones here, we can start!" Wood made us stand in a line, starting with the oldest and ending with the youngest. I didn't know if that was a good thing or not...

I watched as all the older people flew around the pitch perfectly, and I hung my head. I was never going to be a Chaser...

When Wood called out my name, my heart started hammering inside my chest. I clambered onto the broom, feeling awkward that I wasn't going to be flying with my wings. I pushed off from the ground hard, and shot into the air. Wood, the Keeper, Angelina Johnson, Fred and George Weasley, the Beaters, and Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell, the two Chasers. Alicia Spinnet, the third Chaser, left Hogwarts last year, so that was the only place they needed to fill.

Harry was the teams Seeker, and he should of been here, but seeing as he had detention he had to skip it. Wood wasn't that pleased about it, but he had to let it go. Angelina and Katie were throwing the Quaffle at me, and I had to try and get it passed Oliver. I scored nine out of ten, better then any of the others. When I landed, there was a round of applause from the Quidditch team, and glares from the people who tried out for the team. Wood landed next to me, and put him hand on my shoulder.

"I'd like to introduce Gryffindor's new Chaser, Max Ride!" I smiled, and watched as one black-haired girl threw her broom onto the ground and stormed away. I remembered that she scored eight out of ten. I couldn't help but smile as the team congratulated me, and Angelina and Katie brought me into the changing rooms to find a uniform that fitted me.

We left five minutes later, the scarlet Gryffindor uniform under my arms. We walked up to the castle together, and we entered the Great Hall for dinner. I saw Harry, Ron and Hermione sitting together, eating dinner. I hid the uniform behind my back, and made my way over to them. I put on my best sad-face, and sat beside them with the uniform hidden inside my robes.

"Hey guys," I said sadly. Hermione looked at me with wide-eyes. "You didn't get it, did you?" she asked. I sighed, and lifted my head. Then I beamed and said loudly, "Hell yeah, I got it! I'm the new Chaser!"

I told them about my try-out, and Harry was grinning the entire time. Ron kept saying how he knew I would be the Chaser. We finished dinner and left for the common room. There, we all started our homework. I was helping Ron with his Potions essay when the portrait hole opened and Fang and Iggy climbed through. I started laughing as soon as I saw them both.

They were both covered from head to foot in grey-ish slime. "What the hell is that?" I laughed. Fang glared at me, but Iggy didn't even look at us as he went up to the boys dormitory. Fang sat down on the couch, leaving a trail of slime behind him. "What happened, Fang?" I asked. He stared at me, and said, "We had detention with Snape. He left his office for a few minutes, so me and Iggy started messing around. Iggy pushed me over, then I pushed him back and he went into a shelf full of...Well, whatever this stuff is, and they all fell and broke right on us. Snape came back, and we have another weeks worth of detentions."

There was silence for a few seconds, then me, Ron, Harry and Hermione started laughing. We laughed for about five minutes before Fang got up and walked over to the stairs. He was half-way to the dormitory when he came back and said, "Hey Max! How did tryouts go?" Seeing as he was on the other side of the common room, everyone heard him. I blushed as I answered, "Yeah, I got the place. I'm the Chaser." Fang smiled and gave me a thumbs-up, then went on up the stairs.

The next week went by fast. On Saturday morning, I woke up and saw that it wasn't even dawn yet. I wondered why I was awake so early, when someone started shaking my shoulder. I cried out in fright, jumped and fell out of my bed. I groaned and turned onto my back. Angelina was standing over me, in her Quidditch robes,snickering.

"Well, good morning to you, Max. Nice to see you looking all refreshed," she giggled. I stood up, glowering. "Angelina, why the hell are you in my room?" She smiled and threw something at me. It was my Quidditch uniform. "Wood wants all of us down at the Quidditch pitch in ten minutes. He got me to wake you up. He's getting the Weasleys, and Harry now. Hurry up, or else Oliver would have a fit." She strode out of my room, and when she opened the door, I could hear Harry saying from across the hall, "Oliver, its the crackof dawn!" Then there was Oliver's over-enthusiastic voice saying, "Exactly!"

I growled and cursed Oliver under my breath as I changed into the scarlet uniform. I pulled my long, curly blonde hair into a pony-tail and left the dormitory, but first I left a note on Hermione's table telling her where I was going. I walked out into the common room at the same time as Harry. We went into the common room, and then there was the sound of fast footsteps. Colin Creevey ran down the staircase with his camera around his neck. "Alright Harry, Max? I heard someone saying your names on the stairs, and I wanted to show you something! Look Harry, I just got it developed!" He ran down the stairs and shoved something into Harry's hand.

It was the picture he took of him and Lockhart. In peered over Harry's shoulder to see the picture. Lockhart was smiling that twinkling smile, and Harry looked like he wanted to be sick. He was trying to get away from Lockhart in the picture, but Lockhart kept pulling him back. Harry's face went red when he saw the picture.

"Will you sign it Harry?" Colin asked hopefully. "No," Harry said bluntly, and he turned to leave. "Are you going somewhere, Harry?" he asked. I rolled my eyes and said, "Yes, Colin. We have Quidditch practise, if you hadn't noticed," I indicated to our Quidditch robes, and to Harry holding his Nimbus Two Thousand over his shoulder. I had to use the school brooms, but I didn't mind. I would rather use my wings anyway.

"Oh! Can I come? I've never seen Quiddditch before! I'm a Muggle-born, you see," he explained and walked over to the portrait hole. Me and Harry stayed where we were, trying not to laugh, or rather, to scream at Colin.

"Uh, Colin I don't think thats a good idea-" I started, but Colin was already gone through the hole. Harry gritted his teeth together, grabbed my hand and lead me out of the common room.

Colin was talking all the way down the Entrance Hall. It took all my self-control not to throw him out the window. Harry was probably having the same thoughts. We went down the marble staircase, and Colin said, "I don't really understand Quidditch. Is it true that there are three balls?"

"No, theres four, and you can stuff them all up your annoying little-" I started, but Harry hit me in the ribs. I grunted and my eyes started watering.

"Oh...Don't all the balls have names?" Colin asked. "There are two Bludgers, a Quaffle, and the Snitch. The Bludgers fly around trying to hit people and throw them off they're brooms. There are tww Beaters on all teams-"

"And the Weasley twins are our Beaters!" piped up Colin. Harry gritted his teeth again and said, "Yes. Well the Beaters have bats with them, and they hit the Bludgers away from there teammates and try and hit them towards the other team," Harry explained. "And what are the other balls for, Harry?" Colin was hanging onto every word Harry said, and it was like I wasn't there at all.

"The Quaffle is the big red one, and the Chasers have to get the Quaffle in through one of the three hoops. There are three Chasers on every team. And the last ball is the most important one- The Golden Snitch. The Seeker-"

"Oh! Thats you, isn't it, Harry? Your the Seeker!" Harry nodded and when Colin looked at him with an eager look on his face, Harry said, "The Seeker has to catch the Snitch before the other teams Seeker. When you catch the Snitch, the match is over and you win your house 150 points."

Colin didn't stop questioning us until we got down to the Quidditch pitch. We went into the changing rooms, and Colin finally left to go sit in the stands. "He's a nightmare, that one," I said to Harry. "Tell me about it."

We were in the changing rooms for half and hour before Wood let us leave. He was showing us different pages all about the different Quidditch training program. George actually fell asleep, and his head was resting on my shoulder. When Oliver had finished, he asked, "Any questions?"

I shook my shoulder and George woke with a start, and said with a yawn, "Why couldn't you tell us this when we were awake and actually interested?"

Oliver went red in the face. Harry was telling me about how Oliver was the most competitive person he has ever met. I now agree with him.

"Listen. Last year, we should of won the Quidditch Cup. Were are obviously the best team in Hogwarts. But, due to certain events-" I felt Harry shifting uncomfortably next to me. Harry had been in the hospital wing, unconscious, last year for the last match.

"We were a player short, and we lost badly. But this year is going to be different! We have an amazing new Chaser-" he indicated to me, and I grinned. Fred and George clapped and cheered and everyone laughed. "And were going to train harder then ever. Okay, lets go out and train!" I went over and picked up an ancient Cleensweep, and followed Katie out of the changing rooms and onto the field.

As we walked onto the field, I saw Ron, Hermione, Fang and Iggy sitting in the stands, eating toast. "Are you done yet?" Iggy called, sounding like an impatient little child. "We haven't even started yet!" I called back. Iggy groaned and threw his head back onto the stand.

"Mount your brooms!" Wood shouted. I climbed onto the old broom, and together the seven of us kicked off and flew into the air. We were training for about ten minutes before Wood, who was hovering at the goal-posts, shouted, "Wait! What is that sound!" Everyone stopped and sure enough there was a funny clicking noise.

I looked around, my side-fringe getting in my eyes. I looked into the stand, and I groaned. There was Colin Creevey, standing in the stands, and he was clicking away on his camera, taking pictures of the team.

"Who the hell is that?" Wood shouted, and Harry called, "He's a Gryffindor. First year. He followed me and Max down to the pitch."

"What if he's a spy from the Slytherins?" Wood said. "Oliver, he's in Gryffindor, and all he wants is to take some pictures. He's never seen Quidditch before," I said, amazed at myself that I was defending Colin. "And anyway, the Slytherins don't need a spy," Fred muttered.

"And why is that?" Wood cried. "Well...because there right there," George said. I looked down to where he was pointing. The Slytherin Quidditch team were marching onto the pitch, brooms over there shoulders.

"This is not happening!" Wood hissed. He sped down towards the ground, the rest of the team following him. We landed on the ground in front of the Slytherins. "What are you doing Flint? This is our practice time!" Wood shouted. Marcus Flint was the Slytherin captain, and he was huge, and really needed to see a dentist, and I'm pretty sure he was related to a troll.

"Well, Wood, there is plenty of space for us all."

"But I booked it, and we all got up early for this!"

"Yes, but I've got a specially signed note from Professor Snape," Flint said, pulling out a piece of parchment from the pocket of his green robes. He handed it to Wood, who after glaring at Flint, read it aloud. "I, Professor , give the Slytherin team permission to practice today in order to train there new Seeker."

Wood gave the parchment back to Flint and said, "Who's your new Seeker?" Flint sneered, and move out of the way. There, behind all the huge, muscly Slytherin players, stood Draco Malfoy. I gasped and said, "Malfoy?"

"Your the new Seeker?" Fred said, disgust all over his face. "Yes,and thats not the only new thing on the team this year," drawled Malfoy. "Oh, yeah? Whats the other thing? Talent? Because you sure didn't have that last year," I said and the Gryffindors roared with laughter. The Slytherins stared at me, and Flint said, "Who are you?"

"Your not the only one with a new player, Flint. Max is our new Chaser," Wood said, putting his arm over my shoulder. Malfoy steeped forward and sneered, "That freak? Is there anyone on your team normal?"

I took a threatening step towards him, and laughed when he jumped back. I was satisfied to see there was still a bruise on his nose. Ron, Hermione, Fang and Iggy ran over, and Ron asked, "Whats happening?"

"We were just showing them our gifts from Draco's father," one of the Beaters said. The lot of them moved around and thrust out there brooms. I looked at them and we all gasped. The handles were black and polished and written in gold letter were the words `Nimbus Two-Thousand and One.'

"These only came out last month," Flint said. "There way more faster then the Nimbus Two-Thousand, and as for those Cleensweeps-" he was staring at my broom, and there was laughter from the Slytherins.

"You could always sell off those Cleensweeps. I suppose a museum would buy them," Malfoy said and the Slytherin team howled with laughter. Hermione narrowed her eyes and did something no one expected her to do: she insulted the Slytherin team to they're faces.

"Al least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy there way onto the team, Malfoy. Everyone on that team actually has talent, unlike you," I smiled and we all laughed. Hermione looked pleased with herself, but it all changed after when Malfoy opened his god-damn stupid mouth.

"No one asked you, you filthy little Mudblood!" he spat. There was uproar, and Fred and George dived straight at Malfoy but Flint got in the way and tackled them to the ground. Hermione's brown eyes filled with tears. I glared at Malfoy. Over the summer, I had heard the word Mudblood and I asked Mr Weasley what it meant. It was an offensive word to use on someone who was Muggle-born, and it basically meant that that person had filthy blood.

Harry looked confused, and so did Fang and Iggy. I was the only one that asked Mr Weasley what Mudblood meant, so they don't know. I was getting ready to curse Malfoy so hard that he would end up in next Thursday, but Ron beat me to it.

Ron marched over to Malfoy, his wand pointed right between his eyes. "Your going to pay for that one!" He put the wand closer to Malfoy's face, and before anyone could do anything, there was a loud bang, and Ron was thrown backwards around ten feet. Malfoy stood in the same place without a mark on his pale, pointed face.

"Ron!" I shouted and ran over to my collapsed friend. Harry, Ron, Fang and Iggy were right behind me. Ron was on his back, coughing, and as we reached him, he turned over fast and retched. Then a slug fell from his mouth. Yeah...a slug.

"Ron! Are you alright? Talk to us Ron!" The rest to the Gryffindor team had joined us, and so did Colin. I watched as Colin started raising his camera, getting ready to take pictures,and I just stared at him. He was about to take the picture, but I snapped, "Colin! Don't you even think about it! Put that camera down right now!" Colin put the camera down slowly, and I turned my attention back to Ron, who was still throwing up slugs.

The Slytherins were laughing, and even though I would love to curse every single one of them, I grabbed Ron at the elbow, and Fang did the same on the other side. "Come on, we have to bring him to Hagrid. He'll know what to do," I said and we dragged Ron out of the pitch, the Slytherins laughter echoing behind us.

**_Hey, so please review on this chapter, I didn't get a lot on the last one. PLEASE REVIEW! I WILL LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOOOOOO MUCH IF YOU REVIEWED! What did you think of the chapter? Was it complete rubbish?_**

**_Question time: Who is your favorite Maximum Ride character?_**

**_REVIEW!_**

**_-Rach ;)_**


	7. The Voice

**_AUTHORS NOTE!_**

**_Hey, so still not getting that much reviews, but here's the next chapter, so hope you like it, and I hope you all R&R!_**

**_-Rach ;)_**

**_Max's POV_**

Ron was belching large slugs every few seconds, and the closer we got to Hagrid's, the more I started to regret being the one supporting Ron. One slug actually landed on my boots, but I kicked it off with a cry of disgust. "Were nearly there, Ron. You'll be all sorted in a minute," Hermione kept saying, which was starting to become more annoying then all the slugs coming from Ron's mouth.

"Oh, no. Quickly, behind this tree!" Harry said and pushed us behind a large oak tree. "What do you think your-" I snapped, but Harry covered my mouth with his hand. When he touched me, I got butterflies in my stomach, and my face went fiery red. Harry blushed a bit too, but then he pointed at Hagrid's cabin, and I poked my head out to see what was bothering him so much.

Lockhart was standing at Hagrid's door. I noticed how Hermione seemed to fidget, as if all she wanted to do was to run out and jump into Lockhart's arms. I rolled my eyes and strained my ears to hear what they were saying.

"As I said, my dear man, its only the simple matter of actually knowing what your doing. If you ever need help, or to ask any questions, please feel free to see me. You know where I will be, ,and I can lend you a copy of my book. I must say I'm surprised you don't have it already," Lockhart was saying in a loud, clear voice as if he thought Hagrid couldn't understand him.

Hagrid looked highly irritated and said, "Yeh, thanks for yer help, Gilderoy!" But as Lockhart strutted away towards the castle, I heard Hagrid mutter, "Dung head." I snorted, and so did Fang and Iggy. The others seemed lost. When Lockahrt was out of sight, I lead the way to Hagrid's cabin, Fang and Harry dragging Ron behind.

I knocked on the door, and Hagrid opened it, looked very grumpy and annoyed. But when he saw us, his face brightened and he stepped aside, letting us in. "Been wonderin' when yeh lot were gonna come down an' see me," Hagrid said as he sat in his large armchair. Hagrid was bigger then any man I have ever met. He was well over six foot. He had a black beard, black hair, and shining black eyes that always seemed to be crinkled into a smile. Given his size, he was the kindest and most gentlest man you could ever meet.

"What's the matter with Ron?" Hagrid asked as another slug escaped Ron's mouth. Iggy explained everything that happened in the Quidditch pitch, and Hagrid raised himself from his chair took down a large bucket from a high shelf. Ron's head disappeared in the bucket, and you could hear each thump as a slug fell to the bottom. " Better out then in," Hagrid chuckled.

Hermione was watching Ron, concern etched on her face. Iggy left out the Mudblood part of the story, hoping to spare Hermione's feelings. Hagrid filled the copper kettle with water, and Harry asked, "Why was Lockhart here, Hagrid?" Hagrid's face went sour, and he said, "Givin' me advice on gettin' kelpies out of a well," he growled. "Then he was goin' on an' on abou' him banishing that banshee. I tell yeh, if one word was true, I'd eat me own kettle."

I was odd to see Hagrid talking about a Hogwarts teacher like this, and we all looked at him surprised, except for Ron, who had once again disappeared into the bucket. Hermione, of course, went to defend Lockhart. "But Hagrid, Dumbledore must of thought he was the best for the job if he hired him."

"He was the on'y man fer the job. No one else would take the job. People aren't to keen ter take the Darks Art job no more. Starting ter think its jinxed," Hagrid grunted. He threw his head in the direction of where Ron was sitting, and said, "Who was he tryin' ter curse?"

"Malfoy," I said. I glanced at Hermione, and she nodded. "He called Hermione a...Mudblood." I felt disgusted with myself by just saying it. Hagrid gasped and nearly dropped the kettle. He left it on the table and cried, "He didn't!"

Hermione looked up, tears in her eyes, and nodded. Harry looked around, frowning. Fang looked at Hagrid and asked, "But what is a Mudblood?" Hagrid was so outraged, that he couldn't speak, so he just started pouring everyones tea, even though he was shaking so much that most of the tea was falling onto the table. Ron emerged from the bucket, pale and sweaty.

"It was the most insulting thing he could think of," he gasped. "Mudbloods a really foul name for someone who came from a Muggle family. It means that the person has dirty blood, and has no right to do magic. There are some wizards, like the Malfoy's- who think they're better then everyone else because they're pure blood. All wizards in the family," he finished and burped out a single slug.

"But, your pure-blood, right Ron?" Iggy asked, and Ron nodded and said, "Yeah but my family are the biggest blood-traitors you'd ever meet, so to people like the Malfoy's, were the same as Muggle-borns in they're eyes." He disappeared into the bucket again.

I looked at everyone, and said, "But that makes no since! It doesn't make a difference what your blood-statues is! Hermione is much smarter then Malfoy, or any other pure-blood wizard!" Ron popped his head up and glared at me, and I smirked cheekily. "She's right though. Look at Neville. He's pure-blood and he can hardly tell one end of his wand to the other," Iggy chuckled.

Hagrid sighed and grabbed Hermione's hand. There were still tears in her eyes, and it hurt me to see her this upset. Malfoy would pay for this, mark my words.

"Don't you worry about it, Hermione. Not fer a minute! There isn't a spell out there you don't know how ter do! So don't you be sad abou' it, Hermione," he said, then wiped a tear away from Hermione's cheek as it leaked out of her eye. She gave him a watery smile, and then Hagrid looked at Ron, and said, "I don't blame yeh a bit fer tryin' ter curse him, Ron."

Ron smiled, then belched into the bucket. I smiled, and started drinking my tea. But the cup was barley to my mouth when I dropped the cup and fell to the ground, crying out in pain.

My head felt like it was going to explode. I couldn't think straight and all that crossed my mind was how much I wanted to die to get rid of this terrible pain. Then, images started flowing into my mind. There was a handsome boy with dark hair and dark eyes, wearing the Hogwarts uniform and he was smiling, but we were in a strange place. It was big, and it looked like everything was made of marble. Every few feet there was a statue of a snake, and at the end of the chamber was the face was a man. More images replaced this one, ones of a pale girl lying on the floor of a bathroom. She was dead.

Then, as sudden as the pain came, it was gone. I was lying on the ground, my hands over my head, as if I was holding it in place, and I was sweating.

"Max? Max! Are you alright?" Hermione's voice was calling me, but I sounded like she was shouting right in my ear. I winced, and opened my eyes. Everything was so bright, and it hurt my eyes. There were tears streaming down my cheeks. I blinked a few times, and sat up slowly. As soon as I sat up, I felt like I was going to get sick. I jumped up and ran to the door. I ran behind a tree and threw up.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned around. Harry was staring into my eyes, concern all over his face. I wiped my mouth and said in a hoarse voice, "I'm fine. Really, I'm alright now." I tried a smile, but it ended up as a grimace. I felt weak and when I went to take a step, my knees buckled and I fell into unconsciousness.

I don't know how long I was unconscious for, but it wasn't that long. I was still on Hagrid's bed, and everyone was still there. No one noticed that I was awake.

"What do you reckon happened?" Iggy asked. "I don't know Iggy." Hermione mumbled, looking terrified. I hated seeing them all like this. "Maybe it was just a bad headache?" she suggested timidly.

"Hhermione, that was more then just a bad headache! You were screaming as if Donovan-" Iggy started and Fang smacked him on the head. No one ever spoke of Donovan. Ever. It was a silent rule in the flock that no one is to speak of that evil, sick, deluded man. I had nearly forgotten about him..._nearly. _

Hermione looked from Fang to Iggy, and asked, "Who's Donovan?" I glared at Iggy even though no one was looking at me and they thought I was asleep, and Fang did as well. Iggy looked really guilty, and looked at Fang. "Ask Fang!" he shouting, and I winced. Why did Iggy have to be so freaking loud?

Fang looked stricken. He knew if he ever told anyone about this, that I would hunt him down and make him wish he was never born.

"Donovan was a whitecoat at the school who like to experiment a lot. That's all there is to it," Fang muttered, looking down at his dirty shoes. There was silence, then Ron managed to say, "There's more then that. Something your not telling us. What is it Fang? You know she's our friend too." Fang glared at him, and mumbled, "Pushy English people..." He looked at everyone in the eyes, and he looked at me. He saw that I was awake, and raised his eyebrows in silent question. I thought for a minute, and eventually nodded. They were my friends, they deserve to know.

"Donovan was actually a whitecoat, and he did like to experiment a lot. But he only experimented on Max. He never touched us. He wanted to make someone who would be indestructible. It would go on for hours, and-" his voice wavered a bit, not wanting to say the next part. I had tears in my eyes, and I was regretting letting him say this.

"He would take her into the next room, and try to see how strong she is. He was torturing her to make Max stronger, and it went on for hours and hours. We could hear every single scream, but we were locked up in cages, so there was nothing we could do about it. He did it every day for six years. Every night, Max would come back with horrible bruises and cuts all over her body. I remember one time, she actually nearly bled to death. But amazingly, she was the one that kept telling us not to give up, and to keep fighting. I think that why Max is so tough and strong. On the night Jeb helped us escape, Max broke his nose and jaw. I think it was the best moment of her life," he said, giving a small grin. I smiled, but was the only one who did.

"That went on for six years?" Ron gasped. I nodded, and when he opened his mouth, a single slug fell into the bucket. Hermione was silently crying, and Harry looked torn between rage and sadness. Ron looked horrified and outraged. I was even surprised to see Hagrid crying into his spotted handkerchief.

"She's so brave!" he sobbed. Harry looked at me, and said, "Yeah, she's amazing." After realizing what he said and that I heard him, he went bright red, the same as me. I sat up and said, "Thank you Fang for revealing my biggest secret."

There were quiet laughs, then Hagrid thought he should change the subject. Bless that man.

"Harry, gotta bone ter pick with yeh," he said, and Harry raised his eyebrows, after helping himself to treacle fudge. "I've heard yer givin' out signed photos. Why don't I got one?" Harry furiously wrenched his teeth apart. Hagrid's cooking mostly means that your teeth will either get broken or stuck together.

"I have not been giving out signed photos, and I never will! If Lockhart is still spreading that stupid rumour around, I'll-" Harry stopped when he saw all of us laughing. I was laughing so much, I fell out of Hagrid's bed, onto the dusty floor. Fang the dog started running over to me, and I jumped up to hear Iggy saying, "What would you do to Lockahrt, Harry?" Harry smiled, and muttered something we couldn't hear.

"What was that, Harry?" I asked, sitting back down on the bed. "I said, I'd steal all the photos he has of himself, and everything he uses in his hair."

We roared with laughter again, and soon it was time to leave for lunch. We bid Hagrid goodbye, and made our way to the castle. "Are you alright now Max? You don't feel sick or anything?" Ron asked, happy that the slugs has stopped coming from him mouth. "Yeah I'm fine. Small headache, but I'm fine," I answered.

Ron stopped walking, and made me stop too. The others didn't notice. "Ron what are you doing?" I asked. Ron looked me seriously in the face and said, "Listen, that thing about Donovan was really bad. I just want you to know that if him, or any other whitecoats, come and try and get any of you- and I mean you, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy or Angel- we will do anything to stop them. Your family, and we don't let family down like that." I smiled, and hugged Ron. He seemed surprised, but hugged me back. We walked into the Entrance Hall.

When we went in, and McGonagall was talking to Harry. She looked at us, and called, "Oh there you are Weasley! Come over here! Miss Ride, are you alright? Your very pale looking. Are you ill?" **(AN:Everyone always asks me this! its so annoying! its not my fault I'm pale! Does this happen to anyone else? i know Max really is sick, but has someone thought you were sick just because your pale?)**

"No Professor. I'm alright," I said, and I was starting to get annoyed at everyone asking me if I was alright. McGonagall nodded and looked back at Ron and Harry.

"Your both going to be doing your detentions , your going to meet Mr Filch in the trophy room. Once there, you will clean and polish all the trophy's. No magic allowed," she said, and Ron groaned beside me. "What am I doing, Professor?" Harry asked, looking frightful.

"Potter, your going to help Professor Lockhart answer his fan mail," she said rolling her eyes, and me,Fang and Iggy snorted. Hermione looked like she wanted to get detention just so she could be with Lockhart. "Er, Professor can't I go with Ron?" he asked. McGonagall shook her head and said, "Lockhart asked for you. Eight o' clock both of you. Good day to you." And with that, she strode up the marble staircase.

* * *

><p>At eight o'clock that night, Ron and Harry both left for they're detentions. I did my homework with Hermione as Fang and Iggy played wizards chess. I went to bed at around ten o'clock, telling them that I felt sick. I was alone in the dormitory, and it was a good thing I was.<p>

As I was changing out of my clothes into shorts and a tank top, I had another brain-attack as Iggy called them earlier. This time, I didn't scream out in pain. I bit down on my lip and felt the copper taste of blood flood my mouth. This time there was only one image, one of the same handsome boy as before in the same place. This time though, he was holding a small black diary that I recognized as the one I had now.

The brain-attack ended, and I found myself on the floor. There was blood running from my mouth down my chin onto my top. I stood up onn shaky legs, and I didn't fell like getting sick this time. That was a good sign, right?

I went over to my trunk, my breath ragged. I took out the diary, the one that was once Tom's. Was the boy in the visions Tom?

As soon as I touched the diary, a voice rang out in my mind. I couldn't tell whether the voice was young or old, male or female. All it said was,

_You need to be careful, Maximum. You don't want the Chamber of Secrets to open, do you?_

* * *

><p><strong>Hey, so what do you think? I brought in the voice! Did you like the chapter? please review with what you think!<strong>

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**

**Question: If you could be one person from Harry Potter, who would it be?**

** I'd be Ginny! :)**

**REVIEW!**

** -Rach ;)**


	8. The Horrible teachings of Gilderoy

**_AUTHORS NOTE!_**

**_Hey people! How is everyone? Thanks to everyone that reviewed, and Annabeth Luxa Potter, yours always make me laugh! And Max Artemis Potter, thanks for your reviews, and don't worry about it._**

**_I hope you like this chapter, and I have a quick question that has nothing to do with Fanfiction. _**

**_Who watched Teen Wolf? The one with Scott, Alison, Stiles and Derek? It is the best show in the world! Review with your answer._**

**_Enjoy, _**

**_-Rach ;)_**

**_Max's POV_**

I didn't mention the voice to anyone_. _How could I tell my friends that I have a voice in my head, telling me not to open the Chamber of Secrets, something I have never heard of may I add. That night, I wrote to Tom. I told him everything, about new voice I was hearing in my head, the School, about Donovan, even my crush on Harry. He wrote back, and told me that everything would be alright. I smiled as I fell asleep, knowing that Tom would always be there for me, when no one else would...

The next morning, Harry was looking very troubled and confused. "Whats wrong, Harry?" I ask as I pour Pumpkin Juice into a goblet. In a hushed whisper, Harry told us about his detention with Lockhart last night.

"Well, I was signing Lockhart's pictures and answering fan mail-" Iggy snorted, and laughed, "He's giving you practice Harry, for when people start sending you letters and asking for autographs!" Harry glowered at Iggy, and when Iggy's broad grin dropped, Harry continued, "After a few hours, I heard a voice," he said, and my head snapped up. Could Harry hear the voice too? Was I not the only one?

"What did the voice say?" I asked, proud that my voice remained calm and steady. Harry licked his lips, and leaned in closer so only we could hear him. Ron didn't look interested, so I'm guessing Harry already told him.

"Well...It said `Let me rip you...Let me kill you...I want to rip you...' Lockhart couldn't hear a thing. What do you guys think that meant?" I frowned. Harry was telling us about a voice only he heard, so maybe I should tell them about what I heard. I opened my mouth as my friends contemplated why Harry was hearing homicidal voices, but Hermione took that moment to give a loud squeal.

We all stared at her, and she beamed, "We have Professor Lockhart today! Oh, I'm so exited! What do you think the class will be like, Max?"

I didn't even stop to take a breath as I said, "Completely rubbish." We laughed, and just as I was going to tell them my problem, the bell rang. I rolled my eyes, and decided to tell them at lunch.

The day dragged by slowly, and by the time Lockahart's class came around, all I wanted to do was take a long, hot shower and go to sleep. We waited outside the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom for Lockhart. Defense Against the Dark Arts was my favorite subject last year, but when I found out that my teacher killed the closest thing I had to a father, I did some tough thinking about that. And even now, with this idiot as our teacher, I was starting to hate the subject.

Lockhart came strutting down the hall, and all the girls- except me- started fixing they're hair, or straightening they're robes. I even noticed that Pansy Parkinson, a girl in Slytherin, had put on make-up. I mean, seriously, we were twelve years old!

Lockhart opened the door, and Hermione ran to sit in the front, along with every other girl. I rolled my eyes, smirking. Harry and Fang sat at a table, while Ron and Iggy sat at the table in front. There was a spare seat next to Fang and Harry, so I sat there. Neville, not noticing that every single girl was sitting in the front so Lockhart will notice them, was sitting next to Susan Bones. Lockhart strode around the class, looking everyone in the eyes as he passed. When he looked at me, I glared at him. He frowned, but kept going and didn't look at me for the rest of the class.

He picked up one of Neville's books, which was mainly his face, and a tiny space at the bottom for the title. "Me," he said, smiling that flashing smile. "I am Gilderoy Lockhart. Order of Merlin, Third Class, Member of the Dark Force Defence League, and five time winner of the Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile, but I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her," he chuckled.

I banged my head on the table...repeatedly.

"I've decided to start off our lesson with a little quiz," Lockhart continued. I stopped banging my head and looked at him. _Yes, _I thought, _A test! Something that won't involve him talking about himself, and I don't have to look at him!"_

I was very, very wrong.

He handed out the parchment, and I looked at it in shock. Every single question was about Lockhart.

_1) What is Gilderoy Lockhart s favorite color?_

_2) What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?_

_3) What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?_

It went on like that until question 54, asking when his birthday was. I looked at Harry, who was staring at the page as if it just tried to bite him. I looked at the front of the class, and wasn't surprised to see Hermione bending over the page and her quill going ninety miles an hour. I shrugged and guessed all the answers on the sheet.

A few minutes later, Lockhart collected them and looked over them. "Hardly anyone remembered that my favorite colour is lilac! And I said in Wandering With Werewolves that my ideal gift would be peace between magic and non-magic humans! You kids need to read my books again!" He flicked through the pages again and smiled, "Although, Miss Hermione Granger knew that my secret ambition was to rid the world of evil, and make my own brand of hair-care potions. Where's Miss Granger?"

Hermione slowly raised her hand, and I could tell she was blushing. Lockhart gave ten points to Gryffindor. Ron and Iggy was staring at Lockhart with looks of stunned disbelief, and Fang was shaking with silent laughter, and so was Seamus and Dean. Harry looked like he wanted to jump out the window. I was feeling the same.

Lockhart suddenly dropped his smile, and his face grew serious. "I'm going to warn you now. What we are about to do is very dangerous, and I ask you to remain calm," he said. Fang stopped laughing, and looked at me with his eyebrows raised. I shrugged, and looked back to the front of the class. Lockhart is after bringing out a large cage, covered in a blue cloth. I watched the cage, glaring at it. When the flock was at the School, we were kept in dog-crates.

Lockhart swept his twinkling gaze around the class, then dramatically he whipped the cloth off the cage and I started laughing. Inside the cage were bright blue _pixies!_

Seamus, who was laughing with me, gasped out between laughs, "Cornish pixies?"

Lockhart looked at everyone, as if trying to see whether someone was going to pass out of fright at the sight of pixies. "Yes, sir. Cornish pixies," Lockahrt said, taking Seamus's laughter as a shout of fright.

"Well..there not very dangerous, are they?" I said, and Lockhart stared at me. "Do not be sure, Miss Ride! Lets see what you think of them now!" He opened the cage door, and all the bright blue pixies flew out, there little wings moving so fast you couldn't see them. The flew everywhere, and they started ripping books, snapping quills, and even started pulling at Neville's dark hair. One flew right at my face, and I shrieked and dived out of the way.

I heard Fang crying out, and I looked up to see a pixie circulated his head. I grabbed the biggest Lockhart book, and whacked the pixie in the direction of Draco Malfoy, who was screaming in the corner, hiding behind Crabbe and Goyle.

I looked at Fang and found out why he had cried out. There were three long, red slashes on his cheek. The pixie had slashed him with its claws. It was bleeding, and Fang looked really mad. Some pixies flew through the window, shattering glass everywhere,and Neville was being lifted into the air by his ears. There were papers flying everywhere, and they started throwing ink bottles in every direction. They were throwing the pictures from the walls out the broken window, and even some bags. It was pure chaos.

Everyone was screaming and running towards the door. I stayed with Harry, Fang, Iggy and Ron. We looked for Hermione, and saw her hitting Cornish pixies with her books. Her brown bushy hair was swinging around her face.

Lockhart was looking panicked, and when he saw that we were the only ones left in the room, he pointed at us, and shouted, "You six! I'll ask you to get them, and just put them back in the cage!" And with that, ,he was out the door with everyone else.

Hermione pointed her wand at the pixies, and started using the immobilizing them one by one. I pulled out mine, and started doing the same. "Can you believe that git!" Iggy snapped, throwing the pixies roughly into the cage. "He's a complete nutter," I said, freezing another pixie. Fang was holding his hand to his cheek, but there was still blood leaking from his fingers.

"Come on! He wants us to get some first-hand experience! Look at all the things he's done-" Hermione said, closing the cage when all the pixies were locked in.

"All the things he says he's done," I muttered.

* * *

><p>September flashed by into October. I was exhausted with all the homework we were getting, and all the Quidditch practice Wood was making the team do. Many kids were getting sick, including Ginny. It was only a cold, but she still had to go to the hospital wing.<p>

On Saturday night, we had Quidditch training, in the rain. I walked back to the castle on my own, having been the first one to leave. Fred and George, who had been spying on the Slytherin team, just told us that the Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones were wicked fast. All I could think was, if there that fast, how can we beat them in our first match next month?

I entered the castle, dripping mud everywhere. I made my way to Gryffindor common room, and was almost jumped with joy when I saw that the fire was cackling happily in the fire-place. I found Hermione, Fang, Iggy and Ron by the window. I walked past them without them noticing me. I went up to the dormitory, and I took a fast hot shower. When I finished, and when I dried myself and put on some warm clothes, I went down to the common room. Harry was there now, and it looked like they were all having a serious conversation.

Harry was still covered in mud, but that didn't seem to be annoying him. I walked over just in time to hear Harry saying. "Deathday party. I promised."

"What's a Deathday party?" I asked, sitting in the vacant chair by the window. They looked at me, noticing my wet hair and my change of clothes. "Its when a ghost celebrates the day they died," Hermione explained. I raised my eyebrows, thinking how that would be something very strange to attend.

"And who's Deathday party is it?" I asked, messing with my hair. "Nearly Headless Nick's. Apparently, he's been dead five hundred years," Harry said. "When is it, mate?" Iggy asked, looking bored. "Halloween, in the dungeons," Harry answered, knowing the reaction that Ron and Iggy were going to have, seeing as they're only love was they're stomachs.

"What? But were going to miss the feast! Can't you just tell him we can't go?" Ron said, Iggy agreeing. "I promised," Harry said.

"Besides, there has to be food there, right?" I said, water falling onto my pants from my hair.

"But whats the point in celebrating the day you died?" asked Fang, gazing out the window. "Sounds pretty depressing to me," he whispered.

The rain battered against the tower windows, and it seemed as if all the Gryffindor students were in the common room, either just talking, laughing or doing homework. Fred and George, who had taken a green salamander from their Care of Magical Creatures class, were tying it to a Filibuster Firework to see what would happen.

Harry looked like he wanted to tell us something else, when the Firework, with the terrified creature attached to it, whizzed around the round-tower. There were bangs and sparks, and Percy Weasley was shouting at the twins, and finally the salamander flew into the fire, and that was that. Percy spent the next half and hour shouting at Fred and George about how they were reckless and about animal cruelty. We spent the rest of the night laughing with the twins and talking about the upcoming Deathday party.

On Halloween night, I could tell Harry was regretting his promise to the Gryffindor ghost. Everyone was chatting happily about the feast in the Great Hall as we made our way to the dungeons. I really wasn't in the mood to go anywhere, really. I had a pounding headache and a twisting feeling in my stomach. I had been writing in the diary to Tom before it was time for us to leave, and I've been feeling odd ever since. Although, normally I would of thought there was something weird with the diary, and Tom, but I knew Tom would never do anything to hurt me. Tom was my friend, and friends didn't hurt each other.

We entered the dungeon the party was being held in, following the sound of the horrible music that sounded like nails running down a chalk-board. Nearly Headless Nick was standing in the doorway, looking mournful. "Welcome, friends...Welcome, and please enjoy the evening," he said in a slow, sad voice. The room was incredible. It was full of ghosts, some I recognized as the ghosts that glided the corridors of Hogwarts, and some I've never seen before.

There were ghosts hovering over a small stage, playing what looked like saws. Everything was black, and the room was as cold as a freezer, and we could see our breath in the air. All the ghosts were floating around, looking depressed and chatting to each other. Ron and Iggy spotted the food table at the same time, and said together, "Come on! I'm starving!" We were dragged over to the food table, and I smelled it first.

It was the smell of all rotting food put together. And thats because the table was full of nothing but _rotting food_. On the table was a large grey cake in the shape of a gravestone, saying:

_Sir Nicholas De Mimsy-Porpington _

_Died 31st October 1492._

I looked at Harry. His parents had died on Halloween, eleven years ago today. He didn't seem to be thinking about that. I doubted he wanted to think about it. I most surly wouldn't. My eyes started watering from the smell. Because of everything the whitecoats did to me and the rest of the flock, we all had enhanced senses, so for me, Fang and Iggy, the smell of the rotten food was more strong, making me what to throw up.

"Can we move?" I asked, dabbing at my eyes. No one spoke, we just moved as one. No one seemed to notice us, but when we were in the middle of the room, Hermione grabbed my arm and said, "Oh, no. Lets go the other way. I don't want to talk to Moaning Myrtle." My eyes widened. Moaning Myrtle was a teenage ghost that haunted a cubicle in the girls bathroom on the first floor. The bathroom was put out-of-order this year because Myrtle kept flooding the place.

"Who?" the boys asked. I vaguely heard Hermione's answer. My vision blurred, and I felt like I lost control of my own mind. Well, thats because I did.

**_Tom Riddle Junior POV (through Max's mind)_**

At last, I had finally penetrated the girls mind. The child was strong, I must say that. It took me two months to posses the freak. Although, her and her _family _as she put them, might come in handy when I finally get my body back. They were all very powerful, I must say.

It was taking a lot of my energy to make Maximum do this. I controlled her thoughts, and made her tell her little friends that she had to go to the bathroom. She left without anyone questioning her, and I directed her to the girl's bathroom on the first floor. There was water all over the floor outside. That stupid ghost-girl must have flooded the place. She ignored the `Out of Order' sign, and walked right in, and there was even more water in here. I ordered her to go over to the sink. I could feel the girl trying to regain control, but I pushed her back. This Maximum Ride was a very strong person.

Now for the tricky part. I managed to make her talk perfectly in English, but what about the snake speaking language, Parseltounge? Ride opened her mouth on my command, and I was pleased to hear her voice, normally filled with sarcasm, hissed, "Open," in Parseltounge. To anyone who couldn't speak the noble language of snakes, it would just sound like hissing.

Ride called the monster that lived in the Chamber of Secrets, and we waited for it. When it emerged, after fifty years if sleep, I felt the girls heart-beat quicken. It was a truly horrible minster to look at, but I couldn't think of anything more beautiful. Ride told it what to do, and it went back into the pipes to follow its order. Ride left the bathroom when I told her too. I couldn't have her gone to long, or Potter and his friends would suspect something. I had a sudden brain-wave, and made Ride do something else.

As I ordered her, she found something sharp enough and made a long, deep slash on her finger. As soon as it started bleeding, she started carrying on my message on the wall. As she wrote, a cat that was prowling towards us suddenly froze as it saw the bright orange eyes of the monster reflected in the water. When Ride finished the message, she picked up the stiff cat and made it hang from its tail on a torch-bracket.

When she had finished her work for today, I commanded her to go back to the ghastly party. As soon as she was through the door, I left her mind and returned to what I was. Nothing more that a worthless memory. For now.

**_Max's POV_**

I opened my eyes and looked around. I was still in the dungeon for Nick's Deathday party. I felt a sharp stinging in my finger on my left-hand and looked down. It was bleeding really badly, and I wrapped in my school robes. I saw the only other living people in the room and made my way over to them. _Thats strange,_ I thought as I made my way through the crowd of dead people, trying not to go through anyone. _Last thing I remember, I was with them, and we were talking about Moaning Myrtle..._

I stood beside Ron, and none of them seemed shocked that I had disappeared and now just suddenly appear. I decided not to mention it, not wanting them to think I was crazy.I saw that there were ghosts with they're head under there elbows, riding on dead horses, and they were shouting battle-cries. I saw Hermione looking at the floating body of Myrtle, who was gliding over to the door. "What happened?" I asked, noticing how calm my voice sounded even though my heart was hammering against my chest.

"Hermione insulted Myrtle," Iggy explained. "Really? Am I finally rubbing off on you, Hermione?" I said, grinning. I was known for being a trouble-maker, and for telling people what I honestly thought of them.

"No! I didn't mean to insult her! She just takes everything the wrong way!" Hermione snapped. We laughed, then stopped when one of the musical saws started doing a solo. "Let's leave," I muttered. "You missed the Headless Hunt," Fang said. "I'm guessing they were the people on horses with no heads," I said sarcastically. He grinned, and we left the dungeons. I felt the warmth rush back into my body, and sighed in relief. I flexed my wings a bit, felling the stiffness in them. I needed to go flying in the morning...

All thoughts of flying ran straight out of my mind as we walked down a corridor and Harry gasped, "Did you hear that?"

"Hear-?" I started but Harry interrupted me. "Shh!" he snapped waving his arm up and down. He came to a halt, running his hands around the wall. "Did he eat something at the party?" I heard Iggy say. Suddenly, Harry's head snapped up, and he shouted, "Its going to kill someone!" He started running down the hall, and we followed him up the stairs and onto the first floor. I felt a bit of deja vu, but shook it away as Harry came to a sudden stop.

"Harry, have you gone mental?" Iggy said, not even out of breath. Neither was Fang or me, but Hermione and Ron were leaning against the wall, clutching they're sides and panting.

Hermione gave a sudden gasp. "Look! There!" She pointed further down the corridor, and even I could see something glistering on the wall. We approached slowly, and then we all stopped in front of the wall.

Written on the wall, in something that looked like blood, which it probably was, was foot-high words, saying:

**_The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemy of the heir, beware._**

My stomach gave an uneasy twist, and I did my best to hide my bleeding finger. I don't why I did this, something told me to do so. We were all staring at the glistening words, until Fang, oddly, broke the stunned silence. "What does that mean?"

"I don't know, Fang. But whats that over there?" Iggy said, pointing to a torch bracket. We walked over, and Hermione took a sharp breath. Mrs Norris, Filch's cat, was hanging by her tail from the bracket. I felt more deja vu, but shook it away as well. "We should leave," I said.

Harry, who was looking very awkward, said, "Should we not try and help-"

"We can't help, Harry!" I didn't know how, but I knew it was true. "We don't want to be found here," Fang said, grabbing Hermione's elbow and started walking with the shocked girl. But it was too late. There was the distant sound of laughter and conversation, and it was getting louder every minuted, and it was also coming from all sides so we were trapped.

The chatter dyed down as soon as people started coming down the corridor. I saw Ginny with the other Gryffindors, looking at the message and Mrs Norris with fear in her eyes. I was terrified as well, although I shouldn't be, I had nothing to do with this... I think...

There was a bewitched silence. You could of heard a spider scuttling through the crowd, it was that quiet. But someone broke it, and they shouted, "You'll be next Mudbloods!" I looked in the direction of the shout. Of course, it was Draco Malfoy. I wonder if he knew there was a big chunk of chicken in his teeth...Probably not, because he kept smiling, showing off the chicken.

I also noticed how his pale face was flushed, and he looked the happiest I have ever seen him as he took in the sight of the motionless cat.

**_Oh my God! With this authors note, its 4,428 words! That is the longest chapter I have ever written! And it only took me 2 days. _**

**_I hoped it wasn't bad, and I hope everyone liked it! Please REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!_**

**_Question: Do you think Jeb is a good guy, or a bad guy? I can't make up my mind!_**

**_Oh, and I'd also like to say_**

**_GOOD LUCK IRELAND IN THE RUGBY WORLD CUP!_**

**_REVIEW!_**

**_-Rach ;)_**


	9. The History of the Chamber

_**AUTHORS NOTE!**_

_**Hey, here's the new chapter, and I hope you enjoy it, and I hope it's not complete rubbish.**_

_**Please R&R!**_

_**-Rach ;)**_

_**Max's POV**_

I felt like we were stuck in the middle of a no-mans-land. The six of us stood in the middle of the corridor, while the rest of the school stood together, staring at us. Filch was running towards us, most likely after hearing Malfoy's shout.

"What's going on here? Get out of my way!" he was shouting. He elbowed his way through the throng of people, and when he saw his beloved cat hanging from the torch bracket, his face fell in horror. "Mrs Norris...What happened...My cat..." his gaze fell to Harry, who was standing closest to the immobilized cat, and he suddenly bellowed, "YOU! YOU'VE KILLED MY CAT! YOU MURDERED MRS NORRIS! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU! I'LL-"

"Argus," a calm voice called from the crowd. Albus Dumbledore swept through the crowd, and he took in the situation calmly. He went over to Mrs Norris and took her off the torch bracket.

"Argus, you may come with us. Mr Potter, Mr Weasley, Mr Griffiths, Mr Martinez, Miss Granger and Miss Ride, if you would come with us as well," Dumbledore said. I looked at Iggy and I was surprised to see him looking slightly scared. Before the old Headmaster could lead us away, Lockhart stepped forward and, said, "If I may, Headmaster. My office is closest, feel free to use that."

"Thank you, Gilderoy," Dumbledore said. We followed him down the corridor to Lockhart's office, Professor's Snape, McGonagall and Lockhart following us and all the silent students stared at us as we passed. We entered Lockhart's office, and I moaned when I saw that every inch of the room was covered in pictures of Lockhart himself.

Dumbledore placed Mrs Norris on the table, and started examining her. Lockhart went around the office, lighting the candles. The six of us shared tense glances, and I turned my eyes back to Dumbledore. His crooked nose was inches from the motionless cat, and he was gently poking her in different places. McGonagall bent down next to Dumbledore, her eyes narrowed.

Lockhart started pacing in front of the desk, and Filch was sitting in the chair, sobbing.

"It was a curse that killed her. Probably some form of torture. So bad I wasn't there, I would of been able to prevent it. I could of saved her," Lockhart said, and I noticed how he kept rubbing his jaw. Jeb told us that when somone kept touching their face, it was a sign that someone was lying. And Lockhart was always rubbing his face, or scratching his nose.

I frowned, and tried to say something about it to Hermione, who's eyes were wide with fear, but Filch started sobbing loudly. His face was in his hands, unable to look at his cat. Lockhart was still talking, about how something similar happened somewhere else he was. He prevented five deaths-apparently.

"She is not dead," Dumbledore said. Filch's head snapped up, and there were tears streaming down his face. "Shes...she's not dead?" he chocked out. "But whats wrong with her?"

"She has been Petrified," Dumbledore answered, staring at Mrs Norris. "Ah! Exactly what I thought!" Lockhart cried. I stared at him, flabbergasted. God, I really wanted to throw him out the window...

"Yes, thank you Gilderoy," McGonagall said. She looked at Dumbledore and asked, "But Albus, how did it happen?" Again, I felt my stomach twist uneasily. I looked down at the ground. "How it happened, I cannot say," he said.

Filch pointed a shaking finger at Harry and he yelled, "Ask him! He did it! Its his fault!" Harry's eyes widened. He started spluttering, trying to say something.

"Argus, a second-year student couldn't have done this. It is far too advanced" McGonagall said, waving her arms.

"Rubbish! He was in my office because he was dropping mud all over the castle, and he knows that I'm a- that I'm a... He knows I'm a Squib!"

"I've never touched your cat!" Harry cried. "And I don't even know what a Squib is!" Snape stepped forward, and said in his slow voice, "If I may, sir," he said. I held my breath, knowing that this couldn't be good. Snape has hated me and Harry since day one.

"Perhaps Potter, and his friends were just in the wrong place at the wrong time," Snape finished. I stared at my friends, and we all raised our eyebrows. Snape was actually trying to defend us? What was happening to the world...

"Although, I don't recall seeing Potter and the others at the feast. Why were they in that corridor anyway?" he went on. Ah, the world made sense again.

At the same time, we all started telling the teachers about the Deathday party. "Ask any of the ghosts that were there. They'll tell you we were there," I finished. "All very well, but why not join the feast when you left? Why did you go to that corridor?" Snape's black eyes were glittering.

"We were all very tired, and we wanted to go to bed," Fang said at once. We were all trained in making up lies on the spot. It's what saved us many times. "But surly you were hungry. I believe that ghost's did not serve food suitable for humans to eat." Snape really noticed things. "We weren't hungry," Iggy said, but his stomach betrayed him. It growled loudly, and Iggy's pale face flushed red. "Well, I am hungry, but they aren't" he said, trying to cover up for his love of food.

Snape's smiled widened, and it was the worst smile imaginable. "If I may be so bold, Professor Dumbledore, I think these children aren't being entirely truthful. I suggest taking Potter and Ride off the Gryffindor Quidditch team until all this is sorted out." Harry and I gasped, and started shouting at Snape.

"You can't do that!"

"We didn't do anything!"

"You have no proof that we did anything!"

"Headmaster, please tell him he can't do this!"

"SILENCE!" Snape shouted. I was breathing heavily, and glaring at Snape. Just because we were in that corridor didn't mean we did anything. But even when I thought this, I felt myself doubting it.

"Innocent until proven guilty, Severus," McGonagall said, not happy that he had suggested taking Harry and I off the team. After all, it was Harry that had won them every match he played last year, and she had seen me training with them and told me that I was one of the best Chaser's she had seen.

Snape and Filch both looked furious. "I want to see some punishment!" Filch roared. "We will be able to cure her, Argus. Professor Sprout has some Mandrakes, and when they are old enough, we will be able to cure Mrs Norris," Dumbledore said, trying to calm down the caretaker.

"I'll be more then happy to make it, Headmaster. I've done it over a hundred times, I could do it in my sleep," Lockhart said, looking important. Snape glowered at him, and snapped, "I am the Potions Master at this school, Lockhart."

There was an awkward silence, and Dumbledore was looking between Snape and Lockhart in amusement. He looked at the six of us, and said, "You may leave. Go straight to bed, no detours."

We all mumbled, "Yes sir," and left the office. When we were a floor up, we ignored what Dumbledore said, and went into an empty classroom. At once, Harry asked, "Should I of told them about the voice I heard?"

"No, Harry," Hermione said. "Hearing voices only you can hear isn't a good thing, even in the wizarding world." Harry faltered, and asked, "You guys do believe me, right? You don't think I've gone mental?" I looked at him. Even though he was trying his best to hide it, I knew he was scared. "Of course we believe you, Harry," I said.

"But," Ron said, "You have to admit it's really weird." "Yeah, I know. Its really weird, and I don't know why its happening," Harry said.

"But whats the writing on the wall about? Whats the Chamber of Secrets?" Fang asked, sitting on a desk. We all looked at Ron as he was the only one that was raised by wizards. "Well, it kinda sounds familiar...I think someone told me about some secret chamber in Hogwarts. I think it might of been Bill, or Charlie."

"Okay...What the hell is a Squib?" I asked, thinking about how Filch seemed to be ashamed to say it. "A Squib is a person born to a wizard family, but has no magical powers. Every Squib I know of, which isn't a lot, is always ashamed of what they are. No wonder Filch hates the students. He's jealous," Ron explained. It made since. Filch was always so bitter to the students whenever they used magic in the corridors. And no wonder no ones ever seen him use magic to clean the castle. He does everything by hand.

Somewhere in the distance, a clock chimed midnight. "We should go," Iggy said. "Before Snape finds us, and blames us for something else."

For the next few days, all the school could talk about was the attack on Mrs Norris. And the more they talked about it, the worse I started feeling. People started noticing that I was more distant then usual, and I just put it down to feeling unwell.

Hermione seemed to be acting weird as well. She normally spent a lot of time reading but these days it seemed like she did nothing else. She spent all her free time in the library.

One day, I found Harry and Ron at the back of the library. Fang and Iggy were with Fred and George, and I did not want to know what they were doing. Fred and George were known for they're pranks, and Iggy was known for being able to make a toothbrush and toilet-paper into a bomb Fang was probably just there because he was bored. I sat down with them and I heard Ron say, "Shes written more then he asked for, and her writing is tiny!"

"Finding the work difficult, Ron?" I ask as I took out the essay for History of Magic. I was already done with it, I was just going to check that everything was right. "No, I just can't write three feet on The Medieval Assembly of European Wizards!" I smirked and handed him my essay. His eyes lit up and he said, "Yes! I love you Maximum Ride!" Harry glared at Ron, but he didn't notice.

Hermione came into view from behind a book shelf. She looked tired and irritated. She sat in the only vacant seat, and huffed irritably. "Whats up with you?" I asked. Hermione scowled and said, "Every copy of Hogwarts, A History is taken. I guess everyones trying to find out..."she trailed off. "Find out what?" Harry said.

"About the Chamber of Secrets, of course. Ever since that person wrote it on the wall, every single person has been trying to find out about it," she said, giving the shelf in front of her such a bad look, I thought it was going to explode. I was about to tell her to ask a teacher when the bell rang, signalling the end of lunch.

We left for History of Magic, Ron anxious because he didn't have time to finish the whole essay. We took our usual seats at the back, and Professor Binns, the only ghost teaching at Hogwarts, floated through the blackboard as he always does. He started the lecture on the International Warlock Convention 1289. Professor Binns had to be the most boring teacher in Hogwarts, and everyone feels like there going to fall asleep in his class.

I love all the classes, and I'm the second best in the year, after Hermione. But in History of Magic, I just wanted to sleep. No one could understand how Hermione was able to concentrate enough to take notes. Everyone in second year would be depending on Hermione at the end of year exams for all her notes.

Then, something happened that probably never happened in Professor Binn's class before. A student raised her hand, in this case, Hermione.

Binns raised his head, looking amazed. "Yes Miss..."

"Hermione Granger," she said. "I was hoping you could tell us about the Chamber of Secrets." I stared at her. I know I was going to tell her to do that, but I didn't think she would do it.

Dean Thomas, who had been half-asleep with his head on the table, snapped out of his trance. Lavender Brown whipped the droll from her mouth, staring at the ghost. Professor Binns blinked, looking shocked that a student had actually asked him a question. "Miss Granger, I specialize in history. Solid facts," he said.

He returned to his papers, reading out a few sentences before I called out, "But sir, don't all legends have at least some fact?" Binns looked at me, and asked, "What is your name, miss?"

"Max Ride," I said. He's been teaching us for more then a year, and he still doesn't know our names. "Yes, I suppose you are right, Miss Roberts," he said. He didn't listen properly to my name. Stupid ghost.

"But what you are asking is very-" he stopped when he noticed every student looking at him. He looked like he was going to die again of shock. Having grasped every single students attention must be something he is not used to.

"Oh, alright," he sighed. He dropped his book, and said, "As everyone knows, Hogwarts was founded hundreds of years ago by four of the most brilliant wizards of the age, and each House is named after them. Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and Salazar Slytherin. The four of them built this castle together, and they're friendship was very strong. They made the castle far away from Muggle eyes. This was back in the day when Muggels were killing people for magic."

He paused, then when he saw that he still had everyones attention, he continued.

"For years, they worked in peace together, selecting students that had magical powers. They taught the young children, training them to become powerful witches and wizards. But there was one founder who believed they should be more precise with the students they put into the school." Ron leaned over the table and whispered in a sarcastic voice, "Uh, I wonder who?"

"Salazar Slytherin wanted the school to have only children from all-magical families. He didn't trust those who had any Muggle family, thinking that they would tell the Muggle world about them. A fight them came up between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and Slytherin left the school.  
>"But, it is to be said, that before Slytherin fled the school, he built a hidden chamber in the school, which the other founders were ignorant of. According to legend, Slytherin sealed the chamber so that no one would be able to open it until his own true heir came to the school. The heir, then is to re-open the chamber, and release the monster within, and empty the school of those who are un-worthy to trust magic," he finished.<p>

My stomach clenched, and I looked down at my dirty shoes. I noticed how my grey knee-high socks were slightly dirty at the end. There was silence, and Professor Binns looked happy, thinking he had bored his class once more. But he was wrong.

Hermione's hand shot into the air again. "Yes, Miss Gallen?" he said. Me and Iggy snorted. How was that close to Granger?

" Sir, what type of monster lies in the Chamber?" Hermione asked. "It is believed that there is a horrible monster that no one has ever seen before, living there that only the true heir of Slytherin will be able to control. Alas, it is nothing but a load of waffle. Not true, any of it in my opinion. No one has ever found it, and no one ever will," he said, in a matter-of-fact voice.

Seamus raised his hand and said, "But, if only the heir of Slytherin can open it, then no one would of been able to find it." Binns scowled, and said, "Rubbish, O' Flaherty. The castle has been searched many times, and it would of been found by now."

Parvati Patil, another Gryffindor, piped up, "Professor, what if you need to use extreme Dark Magic to get to it?"

"Miss Pennyweather, just because a wizard wishes not to use Dark Magic, doesn't mean they won't use it at all. I'm telling you, if it existed, it would of been found by now," Binns snapped.

"But-" Fang started, but Professor Binns has had enough. "Thats it! It's a legend! A story! It does not exist, so please lets get back to some hard-core facts." He picked up his book again, and started blabbing on. Everyone stopped paying attention.

Before class was over, there was a loud _bang! _from outside. Straight away, a horrible smell drifted through the door, and everyone was coughing. We all had to leave the class, and as we stood a few corridors away, I saw Fang and Iggy sniggering, and I shouted over the noise, "Was this what you and the twins were doing at lunch? Making a stink bomb?"

Iggy laughed, "No Max. We spent lunch making a _magical _stink bomb!" Him and Fang both burst out laughing. I rolled my eyes. Putting Fred and George's love of pranks, and Iggy's love of bombs together was not good. If only Gazzy was here...

Ron brought the conversation around to the Chamber of Secrets and I felt my gut twist. Why was everyone talking about it? It wasn't that great...

"Always knew there was something odd about old Salazar Slytherin. But, something I didn't know was that he started all this `purebloods are royalty' thing," he was saying. "Who do you reckon the heir is?" Iggy said, having recovered from his laughing fit.

Just as Fang was going to answer, Colin Creevey approached Harry. "Hiya Harry! Some boy in my class has been saying-" Colin never got to finish the sentence. He was swept away with the crowd going to the Great Hall for dinner.

"Whats the boy in his class saying?" Hermione wondered aloud. "Probably that I'm the heir of Slytherin," Harry muttered darkly. Hearing him say that made my stomach drop. Even though I would never admit it, all this was scaring me. At the party, I forgot what happened, and even know I was feeling strange with everyone talking about it the whole time.

"Do you guys really think that theres a Chamber of Secrets?" Fang asked as we descended the stairs to the first-floor. We passed the spot where we found Mrs Norris. I took a breath, and noticed that for the first time in days, the chair Filch had against the wall was empty, and Filch wasn't there, prowling up and down, as he had been since Halloween.

The corridor was deserted, and Iggy said, "Fancy a poke around? Wouldn't hurt, would it?" Harry's eyes brightened, and I groaned. Harry was a curious person by nature, and that nearly got him killed last year.

He walked around the corridor, looking at the floor. "Look!" he cried a few minutes later. "There's scorch marks on the floor!" Hermione and I were standing next to the window, looking around there. I noticed that there were a lot of spiders scuttling up to the window, all in tight formation and it seemed as if they were fighting with each other to get out of the window. The boys came over, and I asked, "Any of you seen spiders act like this?"

There was a quiet mumble of no from Harry, Fang and Iggy but Ron didn't say anything. I turned around and saw that Ron was backed up against the other wall, right under the message that Filch hadn't been able to get off the wall.

"Ron, are you okay? You look pale," I said, standing next to him. He nodded slowly, and muttered, "I, uh, don't like spiders." We all looked at each other. "I never knew that Ron. But when we need to use spiders in Potions, you seem fine," I said. If possible, Ron went even paler. "Well, I don't mind them when they're dead! Its when they're alive, and moving everywhere-" he broke off and violently shuddered.

Me and Hermione looked at each other, and then we both started giggling. Ron snapped, "Its not funny! When I was smaller, Fred turned my teddy bear into a giant, filthy, disgusting, squirming, spider! Imagine holding your teddy bear, and then it has all these legs, and eyes and..." he shuddered again. Hermione held in her laughter, but I didn't. I didn't really think Ron was scared of much since last summer. And Fred turning his teddy bear into a spider..Classic.

Harry changed the subject, saying "Do you guys remember all the water that was here? Its all mopped up now, so where did it come from?" Ron, who had been glaring at me, muttered, "It was coming from there, I think." He was pointing to a door next to Filch's chair. The sight of the door made me uncomfortable.

"Lets go in for a look them," Iggy said, reaching for the handle. Then, he pulled his hand back as if the handle had burned him. "Whats wrong?" I asked, going for my wand.

"Thats the girls bathroom," he whispered, as if saying it out would get him into trouble. Hermione shook her head, muttering something that sounded like, "Bunch of idiots," and she marched forward and ignoring the sign that saidm "OUT OF ORDER," opened the door and walked in.

**_Hey! Sorry for the wait, but I've been very busy lately. I hope you like the chapter, and please R&R!_**

**_REVIEW!_**

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**_Question: If you were on a Quidditch team, what would you be? Chaser, Seeker, Beater..._**

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**_The more reviews I get, the faster I'll update!_**

**_-Rach ;)_**


	10. Max's First Match

**_AUTHORS NOTE!_**

**_Sorry it took so long, but here's the new chapter! I hope its good, and please R&R!_**

**_Enjoy,_**

**_-Rach ;)_**

**_Max's POV _**

We walked into the bathroom, Hermione in the lead. I went in after her, and Iggy was bringing up the rear. It was the most depressing, gloomiest bathroom I had ever seen, and yet I got the feeling that I had been in here before. I kept glancing at the sinks in the corner, but my gaze strayed to Hermione as she strode towards the stall at the end. She knocked lightly on the door, and said sweetly, "Hello, Myrtle. How are you today?"

The ghost of a teenage girl appeared in front of Hermione, picking absently at a spot on her chin. I recognized her as Moaning Myrtle. She was staring at the boys, and said moodily, "Why are there boys in here? This is a girls bathroom!"

"Um-no...But me and Max wanted to show them how...er, nice it is in here," Hermione said lamely. I rolled my eyes and made a note to give Hermione lessons on lying. Ron looked at me and whispered, "You should ask Myrtle if she saw anything. It happened right outside her bathroom, maybe she did." Moaning Myrtle saw this, and she snapped at Ron.

"I heard my name there! You were talking about me! Just because I'm dead doesn't mean I have no feelings!" Ron looked slightly scared, at he muttered, "I wasn't saying anything, honestly-"

"Don't lie!" Myrtle screamed. "Myrtle, Ron was just asking me if I could ask you whether you saw, or heard something on the night that cat was attacked," I said, hoping to reason with her. Myrtle calmed down, and I noticed how her dull eyes kept flicking over to Iggy, who was after breaking a part of one of the sinks.

"Well, that was Halloween night, wasn't it?" she asked. We nodded, and she went on. "I wasn't paying attention. I was upset because Peeves was being mean to me, so I came here. I was too sad to really notice anything." She gave a tragic sob, rose into the air, and dived into the toilet. "Charming," Iggy muttered. I looked at him, and started laughing. He had walked over right as Myrtle went into the toilet, and he was covered in water.

We left the bathroom sniggering, and Fang closed the door as we left. We had only taken two steps when someone shouted, "RON!"

We wheeled around, and saw Percy strutting towards us, his chest puffed out to draw more attention to his gleaming Prefect badge. "What were you all doing? That's a girls bathroom!" he shouted. "We were just looking around, Percy. Clues, and stuff like that," I answered, keeping my voice calm.

Percy's anger swelled, and his face turned the same color as his fiery hair. "If people came back here after dinner, what would they think if they saw you all here again? Back at the scene of the crime?"

Ron stepped closer to his brother. "We never did anything to that cat!" he yelled. One thing about the Weasley family: Never get them angry. Never.

"And thats what I had to tell Ginny countless times since Halloween! She's been very worried!" I glared at Percy. I knew that Ginny would rather go to me, Ron or the twins before she went to Percy.

"You don't care what Ginny's feeling! The only reason your doing this is because your afraid that Ron, Fang, Iggy are I will ruin your chances of becoming Head Boy! And believe me, if there was anything I could do that would make sure you don't become Head Boy, I would do it!" I shouted. Percy's looked like he was going to explode.

"Ten points from Gryffindor! If you don't stay in order, Maximum, I will write to Mother!" He gave me a death glare, and strutted away. I rolled my eyes, and looked back at the others. Ron looked impressed, and I muttered, "Well someone had to say that to him."

That night, the six of us sat next to the fire, as far away from Percy as we could find. Every few minutes, I felt him glaring at the back of my head. If looks could kill, I would be dead fifty times over. We were all doing our homework, and we were all surprised when Hermione slammed shut _Standard Book of Spells: Grade 2._

We stared at her, and she just looked into the fire, and eventually she said, "Who can it be?"

"Come again?" I said, looking over the top of my book. "Who's the person trying to get rid of Muggle-borns from Hogwarts?" Ron closed his books, the other boys doing the same. I kept mine open, having it in front of my face. "Well, who do we know that thinks Muggle-borns are things you find on the bottom of your shoe?" Iggy said. We all answered at the same time, "Malfoy."

Hermione looked unconvinced and she said, "But...Malfoy can't be the heir of Slytherin. He's just too...well, Malfoy." I grinned, and put my book on the table in front of us. "Well, think about it. His entire family has been in Slytherin for generations. Its one of the many things he's always boasting about. I suppose they could be descendants of Slytherin, if you think about it," I said.

Ron looked like Christmas has come early. "They could of been opening the Chamber the Secrets for centuries! It makes so much sense!" Hermione looked at her knees and said, "Well, I guess that could be slightly possible..." Harry looked around at everyone, and said grimly, "How do we prove it?"

Hermione raised her eyes and, keeping her eyes on Percy to see if he was looking, whispered, "There might be a way. It will be very difficult, and dangerous. We'd be breaking over sixty school rules." Ron looked eager, and Fang was looking at Hermione in awe. "You don't mean...?"

He leaned in closer to Hermione and said, "Your not suggesting Polyjuice Potion?" Hermione blushed, and whispered, "How did you know?" Fang shrugged, and said, "I was thinking the same thing." They both smiled, and Iggy, looking irritated, snapped, "Just what the hell is Polyjuice Potion?"

"We need to be able to get into the Slytherin common room, and ask Malfoy a few questions. And we can't do that without Polyjuice Potion," Hermione said. Ron shook his head, looking irritated as well, and looked at Fang. "Mate, whats Polyjuice Potion?"

"It's a really difficult potion that makes you turn into the form of another," he said. I looked from him to Hermione, eyebrows raised. "How do we make it?" I asked. Hermione looked at me, and said, "We need to get a book, and its most-likely in the Restricted Section of the library. Me, you and Fang will have to make it, because were the best at Potions-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Since when was Fang good at Potions? I thought it was just you and Max?" Iggy said, staring at the black-haired boy in shock. Hermione looked amused, and said, "Fang is brilliant at Potions. Actually, he's brilliant at every subject. He's just under me and Max." The boys stared at him in shock, and Fang didn't blush. I wasn't surprised. That boy is like a brick wall.

"Alright, now that we've all found out that Fang is smart, can we get back to business?" I said. "How are we going to get into the Restricted Section?"

"We have to make up a convincing story, and maybe a teacher will believe it and sign the note," Hermione said, sounding as though she didn't even believe what she was saying.

Iggy leaned back in his chair, and smiled, "Well, we need to find a pretty thick teacher then."

* * *

><p>We were sitting in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and I was trying my best not to start laughing. Ever since the pixie incident, Lockhart hadn't brought any live creatures into the class. He chose instead to read extracts from his books, of acting them out in front of the class, and he always used Harry in his reenactments. At this moment, Harry was playing a werewolf, and Lockhart was showing us how he defeated the werewolf.<p>

He had Harry on the ground, and he was making Harry howl like a wolf. I was snickering, and when the bell rang, Harry sprang to his feet. I caught Hermione's eye, and we nodded. Harry came over to us, his face red, and Hermione stood up with a piece of paper in her hands. She looked nervous. "Wait until everyones gone," she whispered. Finally, when Susan Bones left, the six of us approached Lockhart slowly. Me, Fang and Iggy stayed at the back, in case he started asking us about our wings again.

"Er...P-professor Lockhart?" she stammered. I rolled my eyes, groaning. When he looked up, Hermione continued. "I was w-wondering whether y-you could s-sign this? Only, I w-wanted to get a b-book for a b-bit of light r-reading, but its in the R-restricted Section. I'm sure it would help me understand more about Voyages with Vampires." I grinned. We all took turns giving Hermione lessons on lying. None of us were willing to ask Lockhart for his signature, seeing as none of us actually liked him.

Lockhart beamed and said, "Well, I'm sure there would nothing wrong with that. You are the best in the year, of course, no one would mind. Just give me that paper, Miss Granger." Hermione handed him the piece of parchment in a shaking hand. Lockhart signed, and gave it back. I couldn't help smiling. Lockhart looked at me and Harry and smiled, "Well, Harry, Max. The first Quidditch match tomorrow. Its your first match, isn't it Max? I would of taken time off to train you, of course, but I have just been much too busy." My stomach dropped. I tried not to think about the match, but I was very nervous. What if I messed up? What if I fell off my broom? What if I-

I was brought out of my thoughts as Fang hit me on the arm, and we started heading towards the door.

Hermione stammered her thanks, and we left. We raced towards the library, and we stepped in the doorway. "I can't believe that. He didn't even look at the book we wanted! God, hes a brainless moron!" Iggy said. We laughed, and we made our way over to Madam Pince's desk. Hermione reluctantly gave her the parchment, and Madam Pince looked at it with her usual scowl. "Moste Potente Potions?" she asked. "Thats a bit advanced for second-years," she said, looking at us suspiciously.

She stalked away towards the Restricted Section, and Hermione looked sad. "Oh, don't worry. You can just ask Lockhart for another autograph, he'd probably give you twenty," I sniggered.

She glared at me, but Madam Pince came back, holding a big, dirty looking book. She gave it to Hermione, and we left.

Five minutes later, we were sitting in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, Hermione flicking through the book. Myrtle was sobbing loudly in her cubicle, but we ignored her. After another few minutes, Hermione gave an outburst. "Here it is! Polyjuice Potion! Wow, this is even more complicated then I thought. There are a lot of stuff we need that were going to have to steal from Snape's private store."

We all stared at her, thinking the same thing. Stealing anything from Snape was going to be hard, and if we got caught...Well, then we were all screwed.

"How long will this take?" Harry asked. Hermione looked back at the page, and said, "Well, fluxweed has to be picked on a full moon, and lacewings have to be stirred for twenty-eight days...So, about a month," she finished, closing the book. "A month?" We all cried together. "Malfoy could have all the Muggle-borns in the school by then!" Ron cried.

"Its the best thing I have, Ron, so if you have something better, please share it," Hermione snapped. Ron looked at me, and said, "It would save you a lot of effort if you just knock Malfoy off his broom tomorrow."

* * *

><p>I woke up early the next morning, with butterflies in my stomach. I hopped out of bed, and looked out the window. It was before dawn, so I smiled and grabbed a t-shirt and a pair of sweat pants. I pulled on my black and purple Converse, and crept out of the dormitory. I went through the quiet castle, and out the front-doors. The grounds were quiet, and the sun was only coming over the horizon. I ran over to the edge of the forest, and after checking that no one was looking from the windows, I snapped out my wings.<p>

Twelve-feet, brown and white, I thought they were beautiful. I took a running start, and flew into the air. There's no feeling like flying. You feel like you can do anything, and theres nothing tying you to anything. I swopped in and out of trees, and I even saw a few centaurs running below. I flew for hours, and when the sun was high, I flew to the ground and walked toward the castle. Breakfast hadn't started yet, so I ran up to Gryffindor tower, and up to the dormitory and took a fast shower. I was thinking about the match, and I have never felt more nervous.

When I finished, I changed into my Quidditch uniform, and went down to the Great Hall. I saw the rest of the team, and I also saw the Slytherin team in there emerald robes. I saw Harry and I sat next to him. He noticed how nervous I looked. "You'll do fine," he whispered. I smiled.

Eleven o'clock came, and the team went down to the pitch and into the changing rooms. We sat down as Oliver started his pep-talk.

"Right, so the Slytherin team have an advantage. They're brooms are much more faster then ours, but we have something more then them. We are much more talented then they are. We are going to make them regret the day they ever let that little bit of no-good slime, Malfoy, on they're team," he said, looking emotional.

He turned to Harry, and said, "Its all up to you, Harry. You need to show them that being a great Seeker is more then just having a rich father. We've got to win today." Fred and George smiled, and chorused, "So no pressure there Harry." Next Wood turned to me and said, "Max, your the new Chaser, and you are one of the best Chasers I have seen. This is your first match, so you need to show them what you have. You are talented, Max, so show everyone that." I smiled and nodded.

"Everyone ready? Alright, lets go," Wood said, and we left onto the pitch, my heard hammering in my ears. There was a blast of applause, and some boos from the Slytherin side. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were desperate to see Slytherin beaten, so they were supporting us too.

The Slytherins came on then, and Madam Hooch asked captains to shake hands. Flint and Wood shook hands, and I think they were trying to break each others fingers. I clambered onto my broom, and when Madam Hooch blew the whistle, we all flew into the air. The balls were let out, and Harry went higher then anyone, looking for the Snitch.

Angelina got the Quaffle, and I flew in front of her. She passed it to me, and I pelted towards the goals. Katie was in front of me, so I threw it to her. She flung it at the goals, and the Slytherin Keeper dived too high up, and the Quaffle went straight through the hoops. There was an explosion of noise, and I cheered and yelled, "Well done Katie!"

The match went on, and I had scored three points, but Slytherin were winning. After I had passed the Quaffle to Angelina, but a Bludger stopped her scoring, I noticed there was something wrong. One of the Bludgers were following Harry around the field, no matter where he went, or what he did. Fred and George were trying to get it away from him, but nothing would work.

"Max! Concentrate!" Angelina shouted. She threw the Quaffle at me, and I caught it easily and I fired it at the goals. It hit the Keeper in the face, and went in. Everyone cheered, and I noticed Malfoy glaring at me. I smiled cheekily, and shouted at Angelina, "Keep it with you and Katie! Theres something wrong with Harry!" Angelina nodded, and went after the Slytherin Chaser.

I rose up to Harry, who was flying around in circles. "Harry! Whats wrong?" I shouted. "The bloody Bludger won't leave me alone!" he yelled. His eyes widened and he bellowed, "Behind you!" I spun around just in time to doge to speeding Bludger. It went straight for his face, but Fred flew up from below and knocked it over to a Slytherin.

"Someone's jinxed it!" I said. "We need a time-out," Fred said. George came over, then started signaling for a time-out. Madam Hooch blew her whistle, and we went down to the ground. I stood next to Harry. He was sweating, and shaking. "What's going on?" Wood called. "Were losing! Fred, George, what are you doing? Katie got hit three times with the Bludger."

"Someone's done something with one of the Bludgers. It won't leave Harry alone. It hadn't left him all game! The Slytherins must of done it," George explained. Wood looked like someone had slapped him in the face. "But...The Bludger has been in Madam Hooch's office since last training session. They were fine then."

Harry was frowning, and he said, "Guys, if you two keep flying around me, I won't catch the Snitch unless it flies up my sleeve. Just let me deal with it on my own." Fred stared at him, and said, "Don't be daft, Harry. That thing would tear your head off!" Oliver was looking from Harry to the twins. "Oliver, don't you even think about letting Harry do this himself!" I said. Wood looked at me, and said, "Fine, you help him," he said.

I stared at him.

"How can I help him? I'm a Chaser, not a Beater!"

"Max, just help him, okay? Angelina and Katie will get the scores, you've already gotten enough. We need to get back to the match, come on."

Wood got on his broom and flew to the goal posts. I cursed him under my breath, and followed Harry. As soon as we were in the air, the Bludger was behind us. It caught up with us, and I turned sharp, hitting the Bludger with the end of my broom. I t flew a few meters away, but it just came racing back. Harry had a determined look on his face, and I said, "Harry, look for the Snitch. I'll keep the Bludger away, just look for the Snitch!"

He nodded, and as his gaze flickering around the pitch, I kept my sharp-gaze on the rogue Bludger. Every time it got too close, I would hit it with my broom. I came too close, and I went to hit it but I missed, and I flew right at my leg. I cried out in pain, and I knew my ankle was broken. I hissed in pain, and the Bludger flew right at Harry.

"Training for the ballet Potter?" Malfoy shouted, laughing at his joke. I was holding my ankle, and tried to tell Harry to watch for the Bludger, but my voice seemed to have deserted me. Harry's eyes widened, and he flew straight at Malfoy. At first I thought it was because of the insult, but then I saw the flickering of gold next to Malfoy's ear. Harry was going after the Snitch.

He stretched out his arm, and just as his fist closed around the Snitch, the Bludger came out of no where and broke his arm.

**_Sorry that it took me so long, but here it is! I hope it wasn't bad, and please please please please please please REVIEW_**

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**_QUESTION: What would your favorite class be at Hogwarts?_**

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**_ -Rach ;)_**


	11. Dobby Arrives

**_AUTHORS NOTE!_**

**_Hey, I didn't get that much reviews on the last chapter, so I hope I get more on this one. Hopefully, it won't be complete rubbish. _**

**_I want to thank Annabeth Luxa Potter for dedicating a chapter in her awesome story to me!_**

**_ This chapter is all for you, Annabeth! I hope I don't let you down!_**

**_-Rach ;)_**

**_Max's POV_**

The Bludger hit Harry's arm, and I heard the loud crack as the bone broke. I was still rubbing my broken ankle, and the pain was making me dizzy. Harry looked confused, and flew down to the ground. The noise was overwhelming. Everyone was screaming, and celebrating, or in the Slytherins case, they were shouting in rage. I followed Harry down, biting on my lip to stop from crying in pain. My vision was blurring, and I vaguely heard Harry muttering "Oh, look. We've won."

I heard a thump, and knew that Harry had passed out, and with the pain in my leg, I collapsed next to him in a faint.

I came round, and I was still lying on the wet Quidditch pitch. There were faces looming over me, and I sat up slowly. Wood was kneeling beside me, and he put his arm on my back, supporting me. "Are you alright, Max?" he asked. I grimaced and said through clenched teeth, "My ankles broken." I looked to the right, and saw that Harry was still unconscious, his right arm bent at an unusual angle.

Wood was running his arm over my left ankle, and he said, "It looks like the Bludger completely shattered your ankle. It hit you harder then it hit Harry's arm, his arm isn't that badly broken. If you go to the Hospital Wing, I don't know how long it will take Madam Pomfrey to heal it." I watched Professor Lockhart running over to the crowd around us, his purple robes flapping behind him in the wind.

He ignored me, and knelt beside Harry. After a few moments, Harry groaned, and opened his eyes. He saw Lockhart leering over him, and moaned, "Oh, please not you." I grinned, but it turned into a wince. Lockhart chuckled in amusement, and said, "Poor boy, he doesn't know what he's saying."

The anxious knot of Gryffindors were looking between me and Harry, and Lockhart took out his wand. "Stay still Harry. This is a simple charm that I have used countless times."

"I could just go to the hospital wing, Professor."

"Yes, sir. I'm sure that would be better," I said. Lockhart ignored me, and raised his wand. He whispered something under his breath, and Harry gasped in pain. I sat up more, and hissed as pain shot up my leg. "Harry, what did he do?" I said, as the Gryffindors around us started whispering. Then everyone gasped, and Colin Creevey started taking pictures. Wood was in my way of seeing what was happening, so I pushed his roughly out of the way, but he still kept his arm on the small of my back.

"Er," Lockhart said. "Well, yes, that can happen a lot. The important thing to keep in mind, Harry, is that your arm is no longer broken. You should remember that. Now, Weasley, Granger, Griffiths, Martinez, why don't you bring Harry, and Max to the hospital wing. I would fix your ankle, Max, but I think Madam Pomfrey would be better there."

I looked at Harry. He was staring at his arm and looking as though he was going to faint again. And when I saw his arm, I saw why. His entire arm looked as though it was made from rubber. Lockhart didn't mend the bones in his arm, he had removed them.

Fred walked over to me, and said, "Are you able to stand?" I tried to get up, but I only ended up falling back down on my butt. Fred gave me a small grin, then picked me up bridal-style. "Fred! What are you doing?" I asked. "Well, you can't walk Maxie. This way, your actually going to get to the hospital wing"

I smiled, and saw Fang, Ron, Hermione and Iggy helping Harry. Fred walked with me in his arms up to the castle, the others following behind us. We entered the hospital wing, and Fred put me on a bed. The others came in, and Harry was put on the bed beside me. Fred left, saying he'd be back later with the rest of the team. Madam Pomfrey was not happy when we told her what happened. Harry's arm had absolutely no bones left in it, and my ankle bone was completely shattered.

"You should of come straight to me!" she kept yelling at Harry. "I can fix bones in a second-apart from ones that are shattered- but growing them back..."

"But you will be able to get my bones back, right?" Harry asked, his voice unusually high. "Of course I will!" she snapped. "But believe me, it will be painful. As for you, Miss Ride, you need to stay here overnight. A shattered bone takes longer to heal, and I need you to be here until it is fully mended. I will be giving you potions to take every hour." She threw pajamas at me and Harry.

Hermione came to help me, and she closed the curtain around my bed. I had to stay off my bad leg, which was still very painful, and Hermione helped me to change from the dirty Quidditch robes into the warm pajamas. When I was finished, I sat on the bed and Hermione opened the curtains. The oys were helping Harry change into his pajamas, and it took them a while to get his useless hand through the sleeve.

Ron called through the curtains, "You still admire Lockhart, Hermione? Don't you think if Harry wanted his bones taken from his arm, he would of asked?" Hermione blushed furiously and said, "Well, people can make mistakes, right? And Harry's not in any pain anymore, right Harry?"

The curtains around his bed opened, and Harry climbed onto his bed. "No, but it can't do anything else, either," Harry said, flopping his arm around. I looked down at my ankle. It was bent at an odd angle, and it was starting to swell. Every time I moved, it would send a blast of pain through my body.

. Madam Pomfrey went over to me and handed me a goblet full of purple liquid. "Drink this. It's not exactly Pumpkin Juice but it will help with the pain."

Next she went to Harry, and handed him a bottle, saying, Skele-Gro. I drank the purple potion, and it burned my throat. I coughed, and put the goblet down. That stuff was disgusting, and I was not happy at the thought of having to take it every hour.

I saw that Harry was having the same reaction with Skele-Gro. He was spluttering when the doors burst open and the Gryffindor Quidditch team came in. They brought cakes, drinks, sweets, and they piled them between my bed and Harry's. "Brilliant flying, Harry," Fred was saying around a mouth-full of Chocolate Frogs. "Yeah, after you left, Flint was yelling at Malfoy about the Snitch being right over his head, and not noticing. He didn't look happy," George said. We all laughed, and Katie said, "Max, you were amazing. You really are a great flyer, and an amazing Chaser." There was applause, and Wood shouted, "Lets hear it for Max's first match!" We all cheered, and clapped and I beamed. We spent the next five minutes eating sweets, and I drank most of the Pumpkin Juice they brought to get rid of the taste of the potion.

Then, Madam Pomfrey burst from her office and bellowed, "GET OUT! THESE CHILDREN NEED REST! THIS BOY NEEDS TO GROW THIRTY-THREE BONES, AND SHE HAS A SHATTERED BONE! GET OUT! _OUT!"_

And we were left on our own. We spent the rest of the night talking about the match, and who could of jinxed the Bludger, and eating the food the team left behind. Eventually we slowly fell asleep, but hours later, I woke up to the sound of a scream of pain. I sat up and felt the dull pain in my leg. I looked around the room, and saw that there was something sitting on top of Harry.

"What the- Get off!" Harry was saying loudly. Then, he gasped and cried, "_Dobby?" _I looked closer at the thing that was on Harry. It was small, and extremely skinny, and appeared to be wearing a pillow-case. It didn't have any hair, and large, bat-like ears. It's eyes were glowing in the dark, a bright green that made me think of tennis-balls. So, I thought, this is a house-elf.

"Harry...? Whats going on?" I asked, flinging the sheets off me and getting out of the cozy bed. I limped over to Harry's bed. My ankle felt very sore, but it shouldn't of. As long as I didn't walk anywhere and take the potion, it should of been fine by now. I shrugged it off and went over to Harry's bed. I saw that Dobby had a wet sponge, and he was sponging down Harry's forehead. "Max, this is Dobby, the house-elf," Harry said. He sat up and pushed Dobby's hand away. Dobby stared at me, and his eyes widened.

"Maximum Ride. Dobby had heard much about you, miss. You are kind, smart, and very brave, miss. It is an honour for Dobby to meet you, miss," he said, bowing low on the bed. I smiled and looked at Harry. He looked irritated and impatient. "What do you want, Dobby?" he asked, his mood showing in his tone.

Dobby looked at Harry, looking miserable. "Harry Potter went to school. Dobby warned Harry Potter, but still he came to school, sir. Why didn't sir listen to Dobby? Why didn't sir go back home when Harry Potter missed the train, sir?" Harry's eyes widened. "How do you know I missed the train?" he asked, though I think he knew the answer already. I guessed it the minute Dobby started talking.

Dobby's lip trembled, and his large eyes filled with tears. Harry gasped and said, "It was you! You stopped me, Ron, Iggy and Fang getting the train!" Dobby looked ashamed, and tears started falling onto his long nose. "It was sir, yes. I waited until Harry Potter came, and then I blocked the gateway, sir. Dobby had to iron his hands, Harry Potter."

He showed us his fingers, and they were all bandaged. I felt really sorry for this elf. Fred and George had said that house-elves have to be the slaves of the same family until they died. Dobby probably hadn't a chance to have a normal life at all. "But, Dobby didn't mind doing this, because Dobby only cares for the safety of Harry Potter. But never did Dobby think that Harry Potter would find another way to the school!"

"Dobby was so surprised to hear that Harry Potter was at school that he let his masters lunch burn! Such a beaten Dobby got, sir..." Dobby said, rocking forward and back. Harry leaned back on his bed. I sat down on the end of his bed, and put my hand on Dobby's shoulder. That only made things worse. Dobby started sobbing uncontrollably."Oh, Dobby, don't! Please don't cry!" I said.

After a few minutes, Dobby calmed down, and finally stopped crying. Harry was glaring at Dobby, and he said, "Ron, Fang, Iggy and I nearly got expelled! When my bones grow back, I'm going to strangle you!" I scowled at Harry, and was pleased to see that he looked ashamed of himself. Dobby smiled and said, "Dobby is used to death-threats, Harry Potter. He gets them twenty times a day, sir."

I glared at Harry again. He frowned and looked sad. Dobby blew his nose and wiped his face on the pillow-case he was wearing. I frowned and asked in a kind voice, "Why do you wear that dirty thing, Dobby? It's really filthy." Dobby looked at me with wide eyes as if he wasn't used to hearing people talk to him kindly.

"This, miss? This is what every house-elf must wear. A house-elf can only be freed when his master gives him clothes. Dobby's master are very careful, Maximum Ride. They don't even let Dobby have a sock, miss, as Dobby would be freed forever."

Dobby looked once more at Harry, and said, "Harry Potter must go home, sir! Dobby thought his Bludger would be enough to make Harry Potter see that it was dangerous-"

"Wait, what? _Your Bludger?"_ Harry cried. "Shut up!" I hissed. Madam Pomfrey only slept in the room next to this one. "You made that Bludger go after me? Its because of you that I broke my arm, had all the bones removed from my arm, and that Max broke her ankle!" Dobby put his head down and said quickly, "Dobby never wanted to kill you sir! Never kill you! And Dobby is very sorry that you and Maximum Ride got hurt. But Dobby thought that Harry Potter would be better off at home, injured, then staying here in moral danger! Dobby only wanted Harry Potter hurt enough to be sent home!"

Harry stared at Dobby. After a few seconds of silence, Harry asked, "And are you going to tell me why you wanted me sent home in loads of pieces?"

"Ah, if only Harry Potter knew! If only he knew how much he meant to us! Dobby knew how it was when the world feared He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. House-elves were one of the most mis-treated creatures then...Most still are, sir, including Dobby. But life has been better since you defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. It was a new dawn, and everyone got new hope. But, now at Hogwarts, terrible things are going to happen, and perhaps there happening already, and Dobby wants Harry Potter to know that he cannot stay here while history is about to repeat itself, now that the Chamber of Secrets has reopened."

I watched as Dobby looked horrorstruck, then he grabbed the water-jug from the table next to Harry, and started whacking it against his head. He fell off the bed, and me and Harry stared at each other as all we heard was quiet squeals from Dobby as he repeatedly hit himself with the water jug. After a few seconds, his bald head popped up again, and his eyes were unfocused, and he kept muttering, "Bad Dobby...Bad Dobby..."

Harry took advantage straight away, and asked, "So there really is a Chamber of Secrets? Who opened it last time? Who's opening it now?" Dobby whimpered and shook his head frantically. But Harry wasn't going to give up that easily though.

"But I'm not Muggle-born! I'm not in danger from the Chamber!" Dobby kept whimpering, and he chocked out, "Please, Harry Potter! Ask no more! Dobby can not tell you, Dobby cannot tell you! Go home, Harry Potter, be safe!"

"I'm not going home! One of my best friends is Muggle-born, she'll be top of the list. I'm not leaving my friends, Dobby," Harry said, and I smiled. There was no way Harry was going to go back to his aunt and uncle now, especially when there was something attacking Muggle-borns in the school. I knew that I wasn't a Muggle-born. Last year, at the Sorting, the Sorting Hat had told me that I was a lot like my father, who went to Hogwarts. Jeb had written me a letter and I got it after he died, saying that Voldemort had killed my mother, but he knew nothing of my father. Most likely I was a half-blood.

Dobby started sobbing, and he chocked out between the sobs, "Harry Potter would risk his own life for his friends! So noble, so noble..."

I saw Harry looking at me as he said, "I would do anything for my friends." I nodded and said, "So would I." Dobby was practically yelling now with sobs. "Your both so valiant! So noble! So brilliant! So-" he stopped, and straightened himself up. I heard footsteps coming from outside, and Dobby gasped, "Dobby must leave!" and with a _pop _he disappeared.

The doors burst open , and I ran back to my bed. The blanket was just over me when McGonagall and Dumbledore walked in, and they appeared to be carrying a statue. They put the statue on a bed, and McGonagall scurried off towards Madam Pomfrey's office. I looked at Harry, and saw that his eyes were wide and he was clearly thinking over-time.

After a few moments, both the women hurried over to the bed with the statue. "What happened?" Madam Pomfrey asked. "Another attack," McGonagall said sadly. I raised my eyebrows and lifted my head slightly. My stomach dropped as I saw who it was. Colin Creevey, his camera in front of his face. "Petrified?" Madam Pomfrey asked, sounding fearful.

"I believe so. Minerva found him on the stairs, with a bowl of grapes. We think he was coming down to visit Mr Potter, and Miss Ride." I stayed silent, and watched as Dumbledore reached down, and took the camera from Colin's tight grip. "Do you reckon he took a picture of the attacker?" McGonagall said.

Dumbledore didn't answer, he just opened the back. "Oh, my!" cried Madam Pomfrey. A jet of smoke hissed from the camera. I caught the smell of melted plastic. "Its melted...All melted..." McGonagall said. "What does this mean, Albus?" Dumbledore was quiet for a few seconds before he answered, "This means that the Chamber of Secrets has indeed been opened again."

"But...Who?" Madam Pomfrey chocked out. "I do not know, but if it continues, the school will have to be closed down," Dumbledore said quietly. I let my head fall down onto the pillow, and looked at Harry.

We were both thinking the same thing: We had to stop these attacks, before Hogwarts closed down.

The only question was, how were we supposed to do that?

**_Unless theres any confusion, Voldemort made Max open the Chamber of Secrets and attack Colin when she was asleep. Thats why her ankle was still broken when she woke up. _**

**_Was it good? Was it crap? REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW_**

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**_Question: Would you rather live in Max's world, or Harry's?_**

**_REVIEW! _**

**_-Rach ;)_**


	12. Harry's Secret Gift

**_AUTHORS NOTE!_**

**_Hey readers! I hope the last chapter wasn't bad, because there wasn't that much reviews..._**

**_Here's the new chappie, hope everyone likes it. _**

**_I'm going to be starting a Skulduggery Pleasant fanfic soon. I'll talk more about it at the end. _**

**_Enjoy!_**

**_-Rach ;)_**

**_Max's POV_**

I woke up the next morning, the sun blazing in through the windows. Madam Pomfrey was standing next to my bed, looking at parchment. "Good morning, Madam Pomfrey," I said. I noticed that Harry was still asleep. Madam Pomfrey turned slowly to me, and said, "Good morning, Miss Ride. Your ankle is no longer broken, but it is severely sprained, and there are no potions or spells for sprains. I'll have to bandage your ankle, and for the next few days, your going to be using crutches."

I closed my eyes and groaned. The next few days were going to be very annoying. Madam Pomfrey bustled off to get the bandages and crutches, and I looked over at the bed Colin was left in last night. The curtains were drawn around it. I heard movement next to me, and looked over to Harry's bed. He was awake, and was looking at Colin's bed as well.

Madam Pomfrey strode over, and seeing that Harry was now awake, said, "After I sort out Max, I'll give you breakfast, alright Harry?" He nodded, and Madam Pomfrey started putting the thick bandage on my ankle. Madam Pomfrey was a very nice woman, and cared for nothing but the well care of the students, but she could be very strict.

She handed me the crutches, and then came back with two trays laden with plates of eggs, bacon and toast. After me and Harry ate, we changed into our school uniform, the bandage clearly visible under my knee-high socks. I grabbed the crutches, and me and Harry left the hospital wing, thanking Madam Pomfrey. We didn't ask her about Colin. We didn't need to.

We walked around the castle, me hobbling along after Harry, trying to find Ron, Hermione, Fang and Iggy, desperate to tell them about what Dobby said and about Colin. We went to Gryffindor tower, but none of them were there. Harry looked hurt, and he started pouting. I laughed at him all the way to the library, where we saw Percy Weasley, looking oddly happy.

"Hello, Max, Harry. You both flew well yesterday. Of course, I already knew Max could fly very well, seeing her over the summer flying with her-"

"Shut up Percy! Do you want the school to find out?" I hissed. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. Anyway, you earned Gryffindor House fifty-points! Well done, well done..."

"Have you seen the others?" Harry asked. Percy's smile faltered, and he said, "No I haven't. But I hope there not skulking around in girl's bathrooms again." Me and Harry forced a laugh, and Percy grinned. "I must be going. Prefect duties, you know. I shall see you both at dinner, I suppose," he said in his usual pompous voice. He strutted away, head high, and me and Harry made our way to the first floor. My foot was making it hard to go down stairs, and it was slowing us down, so when we were on the last staircase, I sat on the banister, and slide down to the corridor below.

Harry ran down after me, and he said, "What was the point in that?" I grinned and said, "I wasn't bothered to hop down the stairs. And beside, that was fun." We laughed, and went over to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. We ignored the OUT OF ORDER sign as always, and making sure no one was watching, we slipped in.

We heard hushed voices coming from one of the stalls, and Harry called, "It's me and Max." We walked- well Harry walked, I hobbled- over to the stall, and Hermione opened the door. What I saw nearly made me start laughing. Hermione, Fang, Ron and Iggy were all squashed into one small cubicle, a small cauldron was sitting on the toilet. Iggy's hair was pointing in all different directions, probably from running his hands through his hair.

"Harry! Max! How are you? You gave us a fright! We thought you were Percy, or someone!" Hermione gasped. "We started making the Polyjuice Potion now. We decided this was the safest place, and Myrtle said she won't say anything," Fang explained as he saw me looking at the cauldron. Me and Harry squeezed into the cubicle with difficulty, and I left the crutches perched on the wall by the door so we had more space, and balanced on one leg in the stall. We locked it awkwardly.

At the same time, me and Harry started telling them about Colin, but Iggy said, "We know. We heard McGonagall telling Professor Sinistra this morning. That's why we decided to start to start the potion now." Ron nodded, and as he watched Hermione looking at the big book that was behind the cauldron, he said, "And the sooner we get Malfoy to admit it's him, the better. I think he was so mad that they lost the match yesterday, he took it out on poor little Colin."

"Poor llittle Colin? Just last week you were saying how much of an annoying git he was, and you wished Hagrid would sit on him!" Fang said. We laughed, and Ron went red. "Well, that was before he got Petrified!" he defended himself. After we calmed down, Harry said, "There's something else, guys. Dobby visited last night."

There was silence, but Hermione broke it. "What did he say?" she asked, looking amazed. Between the both of us, we both told them what Dobby told us. When we finished, they were staring at us with wide eyes, and they're mouths were open.

"Thats it then!" Iggy said, looking like he just found a pile of explosives. "Malfoy's dad opened it when he was here, now he's told Draco how to do it! Bad though, that Dobby didn't say what the monster was. I want to know whats able to get around the school, attacking people and yet no one has seen it." For some reason, I felt guilty. I put my head down, and looked at the floor.

Fang, who was adding ingredients to the illegal potion we were making in an out of order bathroom, where a depressed ghost lives, said, "So it was dear old Dobby that made us miss the train?" "Yup," Harry said simply. I was happy to see that Harry didn't seem mad with the house-elf anymore. Hermione raised her head and asked, "Hey, I've been meaning to ask. Why did you and Iggy go in the car? Why didn't you just use your wings?"

At the same time, me Fang and Iggy chorused, "It would of been too far to fly." Hermione smiled, and just said, "Okay, it makes since." Ron looked at Harry, and said, "And it was Dobby that charmed the Bludger to make it go after you?" Again, we nodded.

"Mate, if Dobby doesn't stop trying to save your life, he's going to end up killing you!" Ron said, waving his arms as much as he could in the small space.

Everyone had found out about Colin by the next morning. Ginny, who sat next to him in most classes, seemed sad that her friend was now lying as though dead in the hospital wing. I was feeling guilty and sad and didn't know why. I was writing to Tom more and more, but I started thinking that the more I wrote to him, to worse I started feeling, and I wasn't as fond of Tom as I was when I first got the diary. I wasn't spending as much time with my friends as I used to, and I was becoming distant with everyone. I spent most of my time either in my dormitory, in the library, or flying over the Forbidden Forest, or practicing my fighting skills.

In December, I was walking around the castle while everyone was at dinner. Lately I haven't been eating much, and I was more skinny, and I was very pale. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, and the next thing I knew, I was lying on the floor. "What the hell-" I cried, but then I looked up, and the words got caught in my throat.

"Oh, sorry Ethan," I said. Ethan St. James was standing over me, looking concerned. "Don't worry, Max. It was my fault. Why aren't you at dinner?" he asked, offering me his hand. I hesitated, then took his hand and he helped me stand up. "I, uh, wasn't hungry. Why aren't you?"

He looked sad, then held up a crumpled envelope. "My mom just sent me a letter. My little sister, Lucy, is really sick. My parents don't have enough money to get her the treatment she needs. She's only six," he said miserably. I didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry Ethan," I said, unable to think of anything else. "Its alright," he said. We started walking, not really knowing where we were going.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," I said, trying to make him happier. "Yeah, hopefully."

We walked in silence for a while, and I was about to say something comforting to him, when I got a brain-attack. I fell to the floor, biting on my lip, trying not to scream. Like the other times, images were floating in my mind. I saw a huge snake, then loads of different people who were Petrified. I saw Erasers, sneering at me with there long, sharp canine teeth, and I saw Donovan, smirked as he looked at me in the darkness.

As soon as it started, it ended. I sat gasping on the cold floor, Ethan sitting beside me. There were tears falling onto my cheeks, and Ethan was saying, "Max? Are you okay? Max!" I opened my eyes and looked into his brown eyes. I started coughing, and then said, "Sorry. Er, I get these really, really bad headaches sometimes that...er make me fall down...It happens all the time." I couldn't meet his eyes. "Are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital wing?" I shook my head, trying to stand up. Ethan helped me, and he said, "Do you want to back to your common room?" I nodded, and he said, "I can help you get there if you want."

Normally, I would of refused the help, but I would probably fall back on my butt if I told him not to help me. We walked in silence, and a few corridors away from the Fat Lady, I said, "Thanks, Ethan. I'll be fine now. Thank you for everything, I'll see you tomorrow." I gave him a smile, and walked over to the portrait of the Fat Lady. After I gave her the password, I looked back at Ethan. I waved and climbed into the common room.

That night, McGonagall came to Gryffindor tower, and took the names of those staying for Christmas. We had already agreed that we were staying, after hearing Malfoy boast about his parents were going to Italy for some important Ministry work. The potion was only half-finished. We still needed to get the ingredients from Snape's private store. I hadn't told them about the brain-attack, and I didn't intend to.

"I think I should steal them," Hermione said as McGonagall left. When we all stared at her, she continued, "If any of you get into any more trouble, you'll be expelled. Snape is still furious that Iggy blew up the desks in the dungeons." We agreed, I said, speaking for the first time since I was with Ethan, "We'll need to make a distraction. Make Snape occupied so Hermione can steal the ingredients."

The boys smiled. They couldn't wait to cause mayhem in Snape's class.

On Thursday, we went in Potions class. Snape did what he always did in class. Prowled around, praising everything the Slytherins did, even if it was wrong, and ignoring everything me and Hermione and Fang did right. When Snape was facing the other way, Hermione nodded. I ducked under the table, and grabbed the bomb that Iggy made from wood, broken quills and parchment, from my bag.

I straightened up, and flung it over to Goyle's cauldron. It went straight in, and no one saw. Even Goyle didn't notice. I shook my head...Idiot.

After a few short seconds, his cauldron exploded. Iggy was smiling in triumph. After this class, I knew that Iggy was going to run up to the owlery, grab his grey owl, Grenade, and write about it to Gazzy. While everyone in the class were screaming as Swelling Potion splashed them. Hermione ran out of the room, towards his private store, and Snape was bellowing, "SILENCE! SILENCE! Anyone who was hit with the potion, the anti-dote is on my desk. GO!"

I smiled as I watched Malfoy stumble forward, his nose the size of a baby elephant. As most of the class were up at Snape's desk, and Snape looking around the class, I saw Hermione slip back in, her robes slightly bulging.

After Snape spent the rest of the class threatening to expel whoever did it, the six of us went to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. We went to the stall at the end, and Hermione threw the new ingredients into the cauldron. "The potion will be ready in exactly one month," Hermione said, as she stirred. "Well done Hermione. I never knew you could be so sneaky," Iggy said, winking. We all groaned and hit him in the head.

A week later, I was still feeling terrible. And even though I didn't trust him as much, I was still writing to Tom. I told him how I was feeling, and how I was getting freaked out about the black-outs. He was, as always, comforting and sympathetic.

The six of us were after being in Moaning Myrtles bathroom, checking on the Polyjuice Potion, and when we went back to the common room, Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas were standing in front of the notice-board, looking excited. They saw us, and called us over. "There starting a Dueling Club!" Dean said. "First meeting is tonight! Should be useful. Could show them Slytherins..." Seamus said.

They left, saying something about telling everyone, and Hermione had a dreamy expression. "Wonder who'll be teaching us," she wondered. "Should we go?" Fang said, ignoring Hermione. "Sure, why not?" Harry said.

So that night at eight o'clock, we left the Gryffindor common room. We were nearly in the Great Hall, when something made me stop dead in my tracks.

**_Maximum, you should be more careful. Things are going to get worse._**

It was the voice from a few weeks ago. The one that told me to be careful if I didn't want the Chamber of Secrets opening. I had completely forgotten about the Voice, with everything going on. "Max, whats wrong?" Harry asked, looking back at me over his shoulder. _**You should hurry up, Max. Don't want your friends to worry about you**_, the Voice went on. "Shut up!" I hissed, out loud.

Harry looked at me, eyebrows raised, and said, "Alright, sorry, just asking if everything was alright." He looked at Iggy, and Iggy just shrugged. I groaned and sat down on the stairs and put my head in my hands. "I wasn't talking to you," I muttered through my fingers. I felt them staring at me, and then Fang said, "Well, who were you talking to?"

My head snapped up, and I asked, "You didn't hear it?" Harry looked at me, and said fast, "Hear what?" I looked from one face to another, but all my friends looked at me like I was going crazy. "It's not the same thing you heard, Harry," I said, as he sat beside me on the stairs. "How do you know?" he asked. "The voice I'm hearing isn't threatening to kill people," I said. **_Yes, I'm very different to what Harry is hearing. For one thing, the voice he's hearing isn't in his head. _**I frowned, and looked at Harry.

"My Voice just told me the voice you were hearing wasn't in your head."

"But...Then why am I the only one that can hear it?"

Before I could answer, Hermione said, "Wait. Max is hearing a voice in her head, and its after telling her that the voice Harry's hearing isn't in his head?" I nodded and said, "Yup," popping the `p'. Before anyone else could say anything, more people starting streaming down the stairs, heading towards the Great Hall. Me and Harry stood up, and the six of us walked with the other second years to the Great Hall.

"Who do you think would be teaching us?" Ron said, trying to make it less awkward. "I don't care as long as its not-" Fang started, but was cut off as we walked into the Great Hall. Gilderoy Lockhart was standing on a suspended podium, beaming at all the students. The four House tables were lined up against the walls, and the students that were already there were spread out around the raised podium. Standing next to Lockhart on the stage, looking as if he would rather be any place else, was Professor Snape.

"Is everyone here?" Lockhart called. "Good," he went on, not waiting for an answer. "Can everyone see me? Can everyone hear me? Good." Again, not waiting for an answer.

"Now, Professor Dumbledore has let me start this Dueling Club, in case you ever need to defend yourselves against Dark Arts, as I have done many times. Now, let me introduce my assistant, Professor Severus Snape." Snape's lip curled, and I knew he wasn't happy that he was being addressed as Lockhart's assistant. Lockhart didn't notice, and kept talking.

"I'm told that Professor Snape knows a fair bit about dueling, so he was the best man for the job, and he had kindly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want anyone to have to worry about this- you'll still have your Potions Master when I'm finished." He winked, and I was hoping we wouldn't have our Defense Against the Darks Arts teacher when this was done.

Snape was sneering at Lockhart. The hatred was just rolling off him, and I was wondering why Lockhart was still beaming. If Snape was looking at me like that, I would be sprinting in the other direction.

Snape and Lockhart turned to face each other on the stage, and bowed. They brought out they're wands in front of them, pointing it at the other. "As you all can see, were holding our wands in a combative position, and were not aiming to kill," Lockhart called out. "I doubt that," Iggy said. I turned my head to look at Snape. He was barring his teeth, and the hand that wasn't holding his wand was clenched at his side.

"On the count of three," Lockhart said. "One-two-three!" Snape shouted, "Expelliarmus!" There was a flash of red light, and Lockhart was thrown off his feet, and he flew off the stage, hitting the wall. Me, Ron and Iggy started laughing, and Harry and Fang were chuckling. Hermione threw us dirty looks, then looked at Lockhart, concern all over her face.

"Do you think he's alright?" she asked. I laughed and said, "Who cares?" We laughed, except for Hermione. Lockhart popped up over the stage, his hair all over the place. "And that, ladies and gentlemen, was a Disarming Charm. As I'm sure you can see, I've lost my wand," he looked around him, and then Lavender Brown, bent down and picked up his wand. She handed it to him, and he gave her a dazzling smile. "Thank you, Miss Brown. Yes, an excellent idea to show them that Severus! Although, I must admit, it was very obvious what you were going to do!" he chuckled, Snape snarled, "Very well, Lockhart. But it would of been wise of you to show the children how to block spells such as that."

Lockhart pretended not to of heard them. "I think we should pair everyone into teams, and get them to Disarm each other. Severus, if you help me." The two of them spread around the crowd, splitting people into twos. Lockhart put Neville with the Hufflepuff boy, Justin Finch-Fletchley, but Snape came over to us first. The six of us moved automatically closer to each other.

Snape smiled darkly, and said, "I think it's time to split up the dream team. Weasley, you go with Finnigan. Griffiths, go with Mr Thomas. Martinez, go with Goyle. Potter-" Harry moved closer to me, but Snape's smile just widened. "I don't think so, Potter. Granger, go with Miss Bulstrode. Ride, go with Miss Parkinson, and Potter you team up with Mr Malfoy," Snape said. I groaned. Pansy Parkinson was one of the meanest girls in our year. She was in Slytherin, and one of Malfoy's friends. She strongly resembled a pug.

We all split up, me having to go over to Parkinson. "Wow, Ride. Did you even brush your hair this morning?" She said as I stood in front of her. "Wow Parkinson. Do you know that your face is so squashed it looks like you ran head first into a wall?" I said in a bored voice, inspecting my finger-nails. Her face flushed red, and she snapped, "At least I have a real family! You never knew your parents, and that guy that took you in died! No one cares what happens to you!"

I clenched my teeth together. She just had to bring up Jeb. I took a few deep breaths, and said, "Listen Parkinson. I hate you. As I'm sure you know, and I know you hate me too, which I feel fine about. But don't you dare, _dare, _talk about that to me!" My voice was deadly calm, but I was satisfied to see that Pansy Parkinson looked scared. She opened her mouth, but I whipped out my wand, pointing it right at her face.

"Say it, Pansy. I dare you. Tease me about having no parents. Tease me about having no proper family. Make-fun of me for being different to you. But there something you can't tease me about. There are actually people that care about me, and there all in this Hall somewhere. There my friends. And you have no one. No one actually likes you Pansy." She gulped, and took a step back. I smiled, and heard Lockhart shouting, "I said to disarm only boys!"

I looked behind me. Malfoy was on his knees, gasping, Harry standing over him, pointing his wand in the direction of his stomach. I heard Malfoy laughing, which I thought was odd. _**Harry hit Draco with a Tickling Charm, Maximum. And I would turn around if I were you. **_The Voice said. I frowned, and turned around. Pansy was pointing her wand at my back, her mouth opening to say a spell. I raised my eyebrows, and raised my left hand.

When it was pointed at the space between her eyes, I felt all the anger I had been holding in for days. I felt all the sadness, confusion, and every other emotion I had been feeling lately. It rushed through me with electricity, and I cried, "_Expelliarmus!" _Pansy Parkinson shrieked like a banshee as she flew through the air, her wand flipping in the air. I jumped up and caught it, and snickered as Pansy started crying, slumped up against the wall.

"Stop! Stop! Everyone stop right now!" Lockhart yelled. I looked around the Hall, and saw that Harry's legs were doing a tap-dance, Ron was supporting Seamus, who had dirt all over his face, and was coughing uncontrollably, Iggy and Dean were on their knees, weak from laughing at everyone, Fang and Goyle were glaring at each other, and Goyles nose was bleeding and Fang had a bruise forming on his cheek. But what made me really angry was that Millicent Bulstrode still had Hermione in a head-lock.

I ran over to get Millicent off Hermione, which was going to be hard as Millicent was huge. When Harry was able to stop his feet doing a dance, he ran over to help me. Just before he reached me, Millicent let go of Hermione, who was whimpering in pain, and she snarled, "Get away, freak." Then she raised her abnormally fat arm, and punched me in the mouth before I had time to blink.

I fell to the ground, blood in my mouth and dripping down my chin. Harry stood next to Hermione, who was clutching her neck, and he was about to shout at Millicent. I jumped to my feet, grinning, which probably didn't look nice as there was blood in my mouth, and all over my teeth. I did a round-house kick, which hit her in the stomach and she doubled-over, wheezing. I smiled. I hit two Slytherin girls in the space of five minutes.

"Max, that was amazing! Are you okay?" Hermione said. "Yeah, I'm fine," I said, whipping the blood from my face. Harry looked over my shoulder, and grinned, "I'm guessing you did that to Pansy Parkinson too?" Before I could answer, Lockhart shouted, "Were going to teach you how to block unfriendly spells. Can we have two volunteer pair?" No one raised there hands.

"What about Potter and Malfoy?" Snape sneered. "Excellent, excellent! Up you come boys," Lockhart beamed, bouncing on the balls of his feet. Harry gave us a grime look, and followed Malfoy onto the stage. Lockhart started talking to Harry, no doubt giving him useless advise, and then Lockhart shouted, "On the count of three.

Straight away, Malfoy yelled, "_Serpensortia!" _A large black snake burst out of the end of his wand, twisting towards Harry. Harry's eyes widened, and people around the Hall started screaming. I narrowed my eyes, waiting to see what would happen. My wand was still in my hand, and my right hand was clenched tightly against my side.

Snape started walking over to the snake, pointing his wand at the snake, but then the snake changed course. It started moving towards Justin Finch-Fletchly. Harry stepped closer to the snake, and my breath became ragged. Harry opened his mouth, and instead of anything normal coming from his mouth, it was a series of hisses. Everyone was either staring at the snake of at Harry in fear. Amazingly, the snake backed away, and started slithering towards me.

I didn't move. The snake was right in front of my face, but I didn't look away. Not even when I saw how sharp its fangs were. Again, Harry started hissing. The snake seemed to hesitate, but it moved. As soon as it did, Snape pushed Malfoy out of the way, and waved his wand at the snake, and it vanished in a puff of smoke.

Everyone was staring at Harry now, and he seemed confused. Ron looked scared and hopped up onto the stage, and said, "Come on. Lets go." We left in silence, everyone looking after us.

I didn't know what just happened, but I knew one thing.

Somehow, Harry spoke to the snake.

**_REVIEW! I'll talk about the Skulduggery Pleasant story in the next chapter, because this was so long. _**

**_REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!_**

**_-Rach ;)_**


	13. Latest Attack

**_AUTHORS NOTE!_**

**_Hey! So here's the new chapter, and I'm super sorry that it took so long! and I hope you like it. The authors note at the end will be about the Skulduggery Pleasant story I might be doing, so if you've read Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy, feel free to read the authors note at the end. If you haven't read it, then theres no point in you doing it. R&R!_**

**_-Rach ;)_**

**_Max's POV_**

Ron lead us back to the Gryffindor common room, and no one spoke. Iggy gave to Fat Lady the password, and we walked in. The common room was empty. Ron pushed Harry onto a seat by the fire, and said, "Why didn't you tell us?" Harry looked puzzled, and said, "Tell you what?" I looked between Ron and Harry, and after an awkward silence, Ron said, "That your a Parselmouth."

"I'm a what?"

"A Parselmouth, Harry," Hermione said, looking pale. "Its means you can talk to snakes." I stared at Harry. His face was blank. Iggy was looking at Harry in awe. "Mate, that is wicked cool!" He beamed. I glared at him until his big smile dropped. We were all watching Harry, and he blushed.

"I know," he said, looking at the carpet. "I've only done it twice. I sort of sent a boa constrictor on my cousin at the zoo. Its a long story," he added when he saw Iggy opening his mouth to ask about it. "It was an accident, and it was before I knew I was a wizard."

There was silence. I shared a look with Fang. He was looking at Harry with a look I couldn't understand. "I bet loads of people can do it," he said half-heartedly. "No, there aren't," Hermione said. "Its not a usual gift. This is bad." Harry looked mad now, and he stood up and said loudly, "How is it bad? If I didn't tell that snake to leave Justin and Max alone, it would of bitten them!"

"Oh thats what you said!" I said without thinking. Harry faltered, and mumbled, "But..you were there! Everyone head me!" "Harry, all we heard was a lot of hissing. Like a snake. No wonder people were panicking, you could of been saying anything. It sorta sounded like you were egging it on or something." Fang spoke for the first time. Harry stared at us all in bewilderment, hoping someone was going to suddenly shout, "APRIL FOOLS!"

"But what does it matter? I got it away from Justin and Max, isn't that all that matters?" Hermione looked around at us, hoping with her large brown eyes that someone else wound tell Harry want he had to know.

"Actually, it does matter Harry. Being a Parselmouth was what Salazar Slytherin was known for. That's why the symbol of Slytherin is a snake. People are going to start thinking that your his descendant or something-"

"But...I'm not," Harry stuttered, his face looking slightly green. The thought of being related to Salazar Slytherin... "You'll never know mate," Iggy said, "He lived thousands of years ago, so all we know, you could be his great-great-great-great-great-great grandson or something." Harry's face lost all color.

We went to bed that night, my mind spinning. Could Harry be the descendant of an evil wizard that lived thousands of years ago? I couldn't think of it, Harry was just too nice, and too innocent to actually hurt anyone. I took out my diary, and wrote all my worries in it. As always, Tom was understanding, and after I wrote the thought of Harry being a descendant of Sytherin, Tom wrote back,

_I understand Max. Harry wouldn't hurt people, your right. Don't worry about it, nothing will happen._

I woke up in the morning, to find that there was a blazing blizzard outside. I grinned, thinking of the epic snowball fight we could have with the Weasley twins and their friend Lee Jordon. But as I made my way down to the Great Hall for breakfast, Hermione by my side, what I heard people whispering took every thought of a snowball fight straight out of mind.

I walked passed a fifth-year Ravenclaw, and heard her saying, "Yeah, there saying that Potter's the heir of Slytheirn. Apparently, he spoke to a snake yesterday, trying to get it to attack one of his friends and another boy. Oh, thats his friend there," she said, pointing at me. I glared at her, and stormed into the Great Hall.

Herbology was cancelled, due to the amount of snow outside, and we made our way back to the common room, ignoring the stares we got...Or rather, the stares Harry got. Harry sat in an armchair, staring silently into the fire. Ron and Iggy were playing wizard chess, and Hermione was reading a text-book, while Fang was finishing some homework.

"Oh, Harry if its so important to you, go find Justin," Iggy snapped, watching Harry as he gazed sadly into the fire. Harry blinked, looking at Iggy. "Alright, I will," he said, and walked out. "What is wrong with him?" I said. "He wants to talk to Justin about what happened yesterday," Iggy said, looking proud that he knew something for once.

"How would you know?" I said, grinning at how stupid Iggy was smiling. "Why do you sound so surprised that I actually know something?" he said, and I rolled my eyes. "Well, believe it or not, us men talk before we go to sleep," Iggy said, grinning like the fool he was. "Yeah, Iggy. Your men. Big, strong, menly men," I smiled cheekily, every word dripping with sarcasm. Obviously, Iggy, not hearing the sarcasm, smiled smugly and said, "Yes, Max, we are!"

I rolled my eyes, and felt a sharp pain in my head. I gasped, and I vaguely heard the Voice saying, **_I told you to be careful Max, you should of listened..._**

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><p>I opened my eyes, and looked around me. I wasn't in the Gryffindor common room, I was in a corridor on the third floor. I got to my feet, and turned around. I clapped my hand over my mouth to stop myself from screaming. Justin Finch-Fletchly was lying on the cold ground, frozen and rigid, his face a look of frozen horror. Next to him, floating horizontaly in the air, no longer transparent but black and smoky, was Nearly-Headless Nick. My breathing was coming fast now, and it felt as if my stomach was going to fall out my butt.<p>

I looked around the corridor, my dirty-blond hair flying around my face. I saw lines of spiders scuttling fast towards the nearest window. I heard footsteps, and something told me that I shouldn't be founds here. I gave one last, sad look at Justin and Nick, and sprinted to the nearest suite of armour. I stopped and peaked around the suite. My mouth dropped as Harry walked towards Justin and Nick, not looking at them.

Harry's face was sad, confused and irritated. He walked right over to Justin, still looking straight ahead. He walked right into Justin's legs, and fell onto the ground. He sat up and looked behind him. He froze for a few seconds, then slowly he stood up. I felt my stomach clench with guilt as Harry looked around the corridor, his face showing his fear and confusion. Like me, he saw the line of spiders, and he frowned.

Harry looked like he was having a mental fight with himself to either stay there and try and help them, or run so he wouldn't get in trouble. With a bang, the Poltergeist, Peeves, came shooting out and he squealed in delight as he saw Harry standing there next to the two Petrified people with a guilty expression. "Oh, wee Potty! Why is Potty lurking in a corridor-" Peeves started, but stopped when he saw Justin and Nick. His face split into a wide grin, and he bellowed, "ANOTHER ATTACK! ATTACK! NO ONE IS SAFE! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! EVERYONE RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTTTTAAAAAACCCCCCKKKKKKK!" He swept through the corridor, yelling "Attack" over and over again, and he started banging on some classroom doors. Harry's face drained of color, and he gave Peeves a death glare and before Harry could run, all the doors in the corridor burst open.

Everyone streamed out, that I watched from my hiding place as Harry was pushed up against the wall. Teachers were shouting for silence, and Harry looked around in shock. Professor McGonagall came running out, followed by the class she was just teaching. She set off a loud bang with her wand, and everyone fell into silence. "Everyone go back to class! Now!" Ernie Macmillan ran over behind McGonagall, and he was as white as a sheet. He pointed his finger at Harry and shouted, "Ha! Caught in the act, Potter!"

I growled quietly from behind the suite of armour. Ernie was nice most of the time, but he could be a prat. "That's enough, Macmillan! Go back to class!" McGonagall snapped. Ernie gave Harry another piercing look, and swaggered back to class. I made a mental-note to slap him the next time I saw him.

"Follow me, Potter," McGonagall said, and started walking away. Harry's emerald eyes were wide with fear as he followed the Head of Gryffindor House, up the stairs. I slowly stood out from my hiding place and started walking slowly after them. I followed them up to the seventh-floor, not walking to close to them. McGonagall stopped outside an ugly gargoyle in the wall. My eyes widened.

She was taking Harry to Dumbledore.

Harry seemed to have realized this as well, because he said, "Professor, please I never did-"

"This is out of my hands Potter," she said. She turned to the gargoyle and said loudly, "Lemon drops!"

The gargoyle jumped out of the way, showing a set of small stairs. McGonagall lead Harry up the stairs, and they both disappeared from sight. I sat down on the floor, and closed my eyes.

What was happening? What it me that was attacking people? But how could I do that? I had blackouts right before Mrs Norris was found, and before I woke up in that corridor, I was in the common room, insulting Iggy's manhood. What was happening to me?

I was the type of person who would hurt someone if they deserved it (example: Draco Malfoy) but not someone who would not deserve it. I put my head in my hands, and started breathing fast. There were tears in my eyes, and I wiped them away before they could start falling down my cheeks.

I heard footsteps coming down the stairs from Dumbledore's office, and I stood up. It was McGonagall, and she looked troubled. I ran back to the common room, and saw everyone as they were when I blacked out. "Did you find Harry?" Hermione said as once as I sat down. "What?" I asked dumbly. Hermione frowned at me, and said slowly, "You left around half an hour ago to try and find Harry."

"Oh, right," I said, trying to make it look as if this wasn't new to me. "Er, I didn't find him." I said. Hermione looked at me weirdly, but looked back at her book.

The story about the double-attack spread around the entire school by next morning. What scared people the most was that Nick got attacked. What could hurt a ghost? everyone was asking.

Whenever someone would bring it up, I would find an excuse to leave. I knew I had something to do with these attacks, but I couldn't understand how that was happening. I didn't feel like I should tell my friends.

The whole school now believed that Harry was the heir of Slytherin, and whenever someone would say that, I would feel tears in my eyes. Fred and George on the other hand, thought the whole thing was hilarious. Whenever they would walk past Harry in the corridors, they would grab his arms and yell, "Watch it! Heir of Slytherin here, on his way to an important meeting with his monster servant in the Chamber of Secrets!" Harry would laugh, but whenever they did that, I would glare at the twins and run off to my next class.

But something that Fang noticed was that the twins' actions seemed to irritate Draco Malfoy. This pleased us, but I didn't want to take the Polyjuice Potion. I knew I had something to do with this, and I didn't want anyone to know that.

The Polyjuice Potion was going to be ready at Christmas, something Hermione was constantly reminding us about.

I was woken up on Christmas morning, and all I saw was a mane of bushy hair. I squealed, and jumped, resulting in me falling out of the bed. I heard a familiar laugh, and stood up to see Hermione smiling at me. "I hate you," I muttered, and went to go back to my bed, but Hermione grabbed my hand, and said, "No. It's Christmas morning, and I want to give you your present."

"And you want your," I muttered, and Hermione pouted before laughing. She went over to her trunk and opened it. She took out five presents, all wrapped in different color wrapping paper. She handed me a small, red and gold one. I ripped off the paper, and looked at the small box that fell onto the ground. I picked it up, and opened the box.

"Oh, Hermione!" I gasped, looking down at the little charm bracelet. The charms were a broom, a wand, a flower, a quill, a heart, and which made me laugh, wings. I pulled it onto my left wrist, and ran into Hermione, and we both fell to the ground, laughing. "I love it so much, Hermione. Thank you!" I laughed, and Hermione pushed me off her.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm bloody brilliant, now give me my present!" she squealed. I chuckled and made my way over to my trunk. I froze as I saw the clock that was on the table next to my bed.

"Hermione," I said quietly. "Yes?" she said, sitting on her bed. "Why did you wake me up at _eight o'clock_ in the morning?" I said in a deadly quiet voice. "Oh, um...Well, you see...The Polyjuice Potion is ready today, and I wanted to make and early start to the day," she said in a high voice. I sighed, and looked down at my wrist, where the bracelet was twinkling.

"If I didn't love you so much, you'd be dead," I growled. I opened my trunk and took out everyone's presents. My hand skimmed across Tom Riddle's diary, and I shivered.

_**Merry Christmas, Max. **_

_Oh, hello Voice. Long time no hear, _I thought back. I rolled my eyes. I was talking back to a voice in my head. I was crazy. And what was worse, the Voice didn't even talk about. Talk about rude...

I handed Hermione her present, and she ripped it open eagerly, a breathtaking smile on her face. She opened it, and her face froze. I grinned happily, and started getting changed into my uniform.

"Max.." Hermione whispered. I had bought Hermione a neckless that said, _Forever._ It was beautiful, if I say so myself. I helped her put it on, and she changed into her uniform as well. When we were finished, I grabbed the presents for the boys, and grabbed Hermione's hand. "Where are we going?" she asked, looking at the neckless with wide eyes.

"Boy's dorm," I said simply. Hermione's eyes went even wider. "W-we can't go in there!" she shrieked, and I smiled cheekily. I dragged her out of our dorm, down the stairs into the common room, and then up the stairs into the boys dormitory. I didn't even bother knocking, I just opened the door and walked into their room. I saw Iggy was sleeping with his feet on the headboard, and his head was dangling over the end of the bed, Ron was snoring, Fang was completely under his blankets, and Harry looked like he was about to fall out of the bed.

We were the only Gryffindor's staying for Christmas, plus the other Weasley's. I gave Hermione and evil grin, and I pointed my wand at the ceiling and it caused a huge bang. Iggy flipped over, banging his head against the side of the bed, Ron yelled in fright, Fang jumped and sat up fast, and Harry fell out of his bed, getting tangled in the curtains.

"Help!" he cried, and we laughed. Iggy was rubbing his sore head, and I winked at him. He glared at me, but then when he saw that me and Hermione had presents, he jumped out of the bed, and yelled, "PRESENTS!"

I laughed, and handed mine to him. Hermione gave him his, and he ran over to his bed, and jumped on it, smiling like a loon.

"Your girls, your not supposed to be here!" Ron whined, wiping his eyes. "Merry Christmas to you too," Hermione said, and threw her present at him. I followed her lead, mine hitting him in the head. "OW! He yelled, and I smiled. I threw Harry's present at the bundle that was him, and he finally managed to untangle him.

"Oh, thanks Max,"he smiled. Hermione handed hers to him, and then looked at me. We both nodded, and at the same time, we both threw Fang's presents at him. They both hit him in the head, and he cried out, rubbing his head.

"What the bloody hell was that for?" he shouted. I shrugged. "Felt like it," I winked and sat down on Dean's bed. Him, Seamus and Neville went home for Christmas. They opened their presents, and Ron said, "Cool Max!" He held up the box of Muggle sweets I got him. I smiled, and he looked into the box. "These are really weird names for sweets..."he muttered. "Who would name chocolate, `Mars Bars'?" We all ignored him, and we all exchanged gifts.

I had bought Fang a pair of dark grey jeans that he said he liked when we were in a Muggle village during the summer, I got Iggy a book about Quidditch seeing as he could actually read it now, and I got Harry a big frame, and I put a picture in it that Hagrid took on the first week of second year, of the six of us, and we were all down at the edge of the Forest, and me, Fang and Iggy had our wings out and they were spread out behind everyone. Harry smiled, and looked at me, "Thanks, Max." he smiled sweetly at me, and I felt my stomach flip. This was the happiest I have ever felt since Justin and Nick got attacked. Even though they don't know what I'm going through, they still make me feel better.

I got some good presents as well. From Fang, I got big box full of Muggle books, which I was delighted with, and Iggy got me a really nice shirt, that was black, and written in white across the front was `Fly Away'.

Harry bought me a beautiful hair-clip. It was small, and covered in rubies. I beamed, and put it in my long hair. Harry grinned, and when all the presents were given out, we all had a group hug.

"Who wants to go get breakfast?" I asked.

"FOOD!" Iggy bellowed. "Iggy! Please stop shouting! Were all in the same room!" He laughed, and slung his arms over me and Hermione's shoulders. We were dragged down to the common room, and we all walked down to the Great Hall. Iggy, being very hyper that it was Christmas, yelled, "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Everyone that was there laughed, and Dumbledore was chuckling. "Merry Christmas Mr Griffiths," he said, and Iggy smiled. "Get anything nice, Professor?" he called over to the old headmaster.

"Alas, mostly books. Not one pair of socks..." Dumbledore shook his head sadly. Me and Harry grinned at each other, remembering what Dumbledore had said when he looked into the Mirror of Erised last year.

"I can give you some socks, sir. I have plenty, and I have a lot that are too big for me, so I've never worn them," Iggy said in a polite voice. "That is extremely kind of you Mr Griffiths. If I do not have them socks by dinner time, your going to be put in detention," Dumbledore chuckled, and started eating his eggs. I sat down at the Gryffindor table, and started eating breakfast.

We spent the rest of the day outside in the grounds, having snowball fights or building snowmen. We weren't going to use the Polyjuice Potion until after dinner. I brought it up, and Hermione said, "Yeah, about the Polyjuice Potion...There not enough for all of us. One of us will have to stay behind." I raised my hand and yelled, "I'll do it!"

Everyone stared at me. It wasn't usual for me to be passing on something like this. "I'd probably punch Malfoy if I go," I lied, and they all nodded.

We went into the Great Hall for dinner, and it looked amazing. There were a dozen trees covered in snow all around the Hall, and there was holly and mistletoe floating around. There was fake snow falling down from the enchanted ceiling. Dumbledore let us sing our favorite carols, Hagrid singing louder then anyone else.

Before dinner was actually over, Hermione ushered us out of the Hall. "We need something of who were changing into. Harry, Ron, get something of Crabbe and Goyle, there Malfoy's best friends. Fang, Iggy, you need to get something of Blaise Zabini, and Theodore Nott. There in Malfoy's gang most of the time," Hermione said as if she was telling us the weather forecast.

"But we need to make the real boy's don't come running in while were questioning Malfoy. I already have mine," she pulled a phial out of her robe, and there was a long black hair in it. "Who's is it?" I asked. "Millicent Bulstrode. I got this off her after she was wrestling me. She's gone home for Christmas, I'll just tell Malfoy I chose to come back."

She turned to me and said, "Come on! We'll check on the potion, you guys get the hair!" We ran to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, and into the last cubicle. Hermione stirred the potion a few times, and around twenty minutes later the boys came in.

"You get the hairs?" The boys all raised there hands and showed Hermione the hairs. I wrinkled my nose at the thought of having to rip off a few of Crabbe or Goyle's hairs.

"Okay, give them to me," she said, her hand shaking. She added all the hairs, and I stood to the side. "Once we drunk it, we have exactly an hour before we turn back. Remember that," she said as she poured the potion into different goblets. She handed them out to everyone, and they all walked over to the sink together. All at the same time, the five of them raised their goblets and drank.

**_Hey! Soooooooooooooooo sorry that it took me this long to update! Now, onto the Skulduggery Pleasant fanfic. _**

**_An evil Necromancer starts bringing people back to live to make an army, trying to overpower the Sanctuary. Not knowing who she was, he brings back Skulduggery's daughter. Skulduggery and Valkyrie go after him, and they find his daughter! She can't remember anything about her old life, except for her name. What will happen?_**

**_ Does it sound good? thats not the full version, but its 12:25am and I'm TIRED! Review and tell me what you think!_**

**_REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!_**

**_-Rach ;)_**

**_ xxxxxxxxxxxxxx_**


	14. The Diary that Harry Found

**_AUTHORS NOTE!_**

**_Hey everyone! Here's the new chapter, and I hope its good and not really bad..._**

**_Anyway, here's the chappie!_**

**_Enjoy!_**

**_-Rach ;)_**

* * *

><p><strong><strong><em>Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling or James Patterson...sadly...<em>****

* * *

><p><strong><em>Max's POV <em>**

After they drank the Polyjuice Potion, there was silence. Then, one by one, the five of them dropped the goblets, and ran into cubicles. I could hear coughing and gasping, and realized I was lucky I didn't take it. Hermione seemed to be coughing the loudest, and I walked over to the cubicle she ran into. "Hermione, are you alright?" I asked. I was answered by more choking.

"Hermione?" I called. I tried to open the door, but she had locked it. I huffed irritably and leaned against the wall. I waited for a few minutes, and the door to the cubicle Iggy went into opened. Standing in the doorway, was the lanky body of Blaise Zabini. "Whoa," was all I could say. Iggy nodded, and said, "It was horrible. Its good that you have no self-control so you didn't take any."

Ignoring my glare, he walked over to the dirty sinks. He looked into the mirrors, and started pocking his face. "This is so weird..."he whispered. The other doors opened one by one, and Harry, Ron and Fang came out. Harry was Goyle, Ron was Crabbe and Fang was Nott.

"Whats wrong with Hermione?" I asked as they inspected themselves in the mirror. "Don't know. Maybe she's ashamed because she looks like Millicent Bulstrode," Ron snickered.

"Hermione, you ready? We should go," Fang called in a deep voice that didn't sound like his own at all. I snickered, and he play-glared at me. "I...I don't think I'll go," a high-voice answered from Hermione cubicle.

"Come on, Hermione. We know Bulstrode's ugly, but no ones going to know its you," Harry said in Goyle's deep voice. "No, I'm not going. You go ahead, I'll stay with Max. Go! Your wasting time!" she snapped. "Are you alright Hermione?" I asked. "I'm fine. Max, tell them to leave now!"

The boys stared at each other, bewildered. Slowly, they made their way out of the bathroom. "Be careful!" I shouted. The door banged shut behind them, and I tried to open Hermione's door again. "Open the door, Hermione," I said. She ignored me, and I heard a quiet sob. "Hermione! Tell me whats wrong right now, or I will kick the door down!" I yelled.

"I don't think that will work," Moaning Myrtle half-sang as she floated over my head, grinning. "And why not?" I snapped. I was not in the mood ti deal with Myrtle right now.

"You'll have to wait, and find out when she tells you," Myrtle said, doing back-flips in the air. She paused, and stared at me with wide, transparent eyes. "You come in on your own sometimes," she whispered, so only I could hear her. "What?" I said.

"Yes, I see you coming in here sometimes. You don't stay for long, only a few minutes. Then you walk over to the sink, and say weird things. You leave after that. Then theirs noises, and someone founds a few minutes later, Petrified." I stared at her, and my heart started banging against my ribs. "You don't know what your talking about," I said defensively. Myrtle laughed, and floated into her toilet.

I sat on the floor, head in my hands, listening to Hermione's sobs. Moaning Myrtle knew that I had something to do with the attacks, even if I couldn't remember anything. The only times I knew that I was this bathroom was with my friends to make the Polyjuice Potion. My mind was spinning, and I felt tears fall down my cheeks. I was scared about what was going to happen, and there was no one I could talk to. I didn't feel like talking to Tom right now, and there was no one else.

My head shot up, and I tried something I would never admit to anyone. _Hey, Voice...Can I ask you something? _

**Ask away, Max **the Voice said. _Am I the one attacking everyone?_

**That depends on what it is you think your doing.**

I rolled my eyes. Never try to get a straight answer out of a Voice in your head. I looked down at the silver watch Mr and Mrs Weasley had bought me for my twelfth birthday during the summer. The hour was almost up, the boys should be on their way back now. I stood up and wiped my eyes. "Hermione, the hours nearly up. Are you going to open the door and let me in?" I called.

"I'll open the door when the boys come back," I heard her sniff. I rolled my eyes and walked over to the door. I opened it, and looked around the corridor. It was deserted.

I closed it again, and went over to the sink. I looked into the mirror. My long, dirty blonde hair fell over my shoulders in small curls, and the clip Harry gave me this morning was sparkling in the dim light. My brown eyes were wide, and tears were glittering in them. I pulled my hair into a loose ponytail, and leaned against the sink. After about five minutes, the bathroom door banged open,and the boys ran in, looking like themselves, and sweating from running.

"What happened?" I asked, looking at them all in the eye. "Malfoy...Not...Heir..." Ron gasped, leaning against the wall trying to catch his breath.

"What?"

"Mafloy's not the heir. He doesn't know whats happening," Fang said, looking bored. "Did you find out anything?" I shrieked. All this work couldn't of been for nothing. "Old man Malfoy has some Dark Arts stuff hidden under their drawing room floor. Were going to write to Mr Weasley later and tell him to get some Ministry people to check it out," Iggy said, looking down at his dirty socks. Thats when I noticed none of them were wearing shoes.

"Where are your shoes?" I asked, grinning.

"We took Crabbe's, Goyle's, Zabini's and Nott's shoes, because ours wouldn't fit there huge feet, and we left them back outside the cupboard where we left them," Harry said, his face red from running. "You left them in a cupboard? That was thoughtful," I said, my voice practically oozing with sarcasm. "Why do you care? You'd love any excuse to chuck them into a cupboard!" Ron gasped.

"Yeah, yeah, everyone knows I'm unnecessarily violent. Did anything else happen?" Fang and Iggy shared a look, and said, "Er...You know the way Polyjuice Potion is only for humans, and not animals?" I nodded slowly, my eyes narrowed.

"Well, we are 2% bird, so..." Iggy trailed off. "What happened?" I said loudly. Fang and Iggy looked at each other again, and at the same time, they slowly opened out their wings. I couldn't help it...I burst into laughter.

"It's not funny Max!" Iggy yelled, pouting. There wings were _tiny. _They looked like the type of wings a new-born bird would have. **_(I just want to say thanks to someone who reviewed on the last chapter, who didn't log in or put in a username, hopefully you know I'm talking about you. Anyway, thanks for reminding me that polyjuice potion would have an effect on the flock as well! i completely forgot about that! thanks!)_**

Fang and Iggy were glowering at me, and I was clutching my stomach, which was sore from laughing. "They're...so...small!" I gasped between laughs. I walked over to them, and whipped out my own twelve-foot wings. That only made us all laugh harder. When we finally calmed down, there was a small sob coming from the stall Hermione had locked herself in.

"Hermione? Were all back now, can you please come out?" I said in a kind voice. There was a hesitant silence, then I heard the click of the lock, and the door swung open. It was dark, and Hermione had her back to us. The boys came over and stood behind me, Iggy standing so close he was breathing down my neck.

"Iggy! Personal space!" I snapped. He snickered, and winked, "Love you too Maxie." I glared at him before turning back to my best friend. Hermione pulled her robes over her head and slowly turned around.

"Hermione, the potions worn off now. You shouldn't look like Millicent Bulstrode anymore," Fang said softly. Hermione shook her head under her robes, and let them fall. Iggy yelped when he saw her, and I hit him upside the head. "Sorry!" he screamed.

Hermione's face was covered in fur, her usually soft brown eyes were now yellow, and there pointed ears pocking out from her hair. "Its was cat hair I took of her robes!" she sobbed. I pulled Hermione into a hug, and she cried into my shoulder. "It's not meant for animal transformations!" she wailed. "We know," Fang and Iggy chorused. I giggled at the thought of their tiny wings, and Hermione gave me a watery smile.

"Don't worry, Hermione. Madam Pomfrey can fix you up, she never asks many questions," Ron said sweetly. "What about me!" Iggy yelled, and after a death-glare from Fang, he added, "I meant us. What about us!"

"Bloody hell Iggy!" Harry groaned, rubbing his ears. It took a while to persuade Hermione to actually leave the bathroom, but half an hour later, Harry, Ron and I left the hospital wing after leaving Hermione, Fang and Iggy with Madam Pomfrey. Ron was still snickering because before we left, he spotted that Hermione had a tail. When he laughed, she wailed and pulled the curtains around her bed.

All the staff members knew about the flocks past, so bringing Fang and Iggy to Madam Pomfrey with their baby wings wasn't a problem.

Iggy and Fang left the hospital wing nearly two weeks later, but Hermione remained there for several weeks. Of course, when everyone returned after Christmas, they all thought that Hermione had been Petrified. Slowly, the dark fur started sinking back into her face. When classes started again, Hermione forced us to bring her all the homework. Something Ron and Iggy couldn't get their heads around.

One morning after I suffered yet another blackout, I was about to write to Tom as I have been doing a lot lately when I got frightened. But just as the quill was going to hit the paper, I took a sharp breath. All of this had started when I began writing in this diary. On Halloween, I wrote to him and got a headache, and then Mrs Norris got Petrified. The same thing with Justin and Nearly-Headless Nick. _It's not me,_ I thought. _Its the diary that making me. _

I stood up and ran out of the common room, ignoring the shouts from the twins as I raced past them. I stopped next to the wall where Mrs Norris had been attacked, and opened the door to Myrtle's bathroom. Myrtle was sitting on the window, humming tunelessly, and I quietly walked over to a stall. I threw the diary into the toilet, and tried to flush it, but it wouldn't flush. It fell out of the toilet, and, feeling irritated, I picked it up and threw it as hard as I could. Before it even hit anything, I was already sprinting back to Gryffindor tower.

* * *

><p>That evening, the boys came back from visiting Hermione. I would of yet, but I had too much work to do, and I was too busy thinking about Tom. There was a small voice in the back of my mind saying that I was wrong, that Tom was my friend, and I should go back to the bathroom and take back the diary. But I shook my head whenever this annoying voice would speak, and when the boys sat with me next to the fire, I saw that their shoes and robes were wet.<p>

"Why are you wet?" I asked. Harry looked at me with an odd glint in his shockingly green eyes.

"I found this in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom," he said, and he held up something that made me chock.

It was Tom's diary.

**_Sorry that the ending is rushed, I'm in a hurry right now. Next chapter with be better, promise. _**

**_REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!_**

**_-Rach ;)_**


	15. Valentines Day Surprise

**_ AUTHORS NOTE!_**

**_Hey faithful readers! As I said before, I'm really sorry that the last chapter was bad and rushed. Hopefully this chapter will be good! Review please!_**

**_-Rach ;)_**

* * *

><p><em>Previously:<em>

_Harry, Ron, Fang and Iggy found Tom Riddle's diary, and Max is freaked out. _

* * *

><p><em><strong>Max's POV<strong>_

I stared at Harry in silent shock. He was holding up my diary- _no, _I told myself, _It's not mine, it belonged to some creepy guy called Tom. _"Max, are you okay?" Fang asked. That boy could read me like an open book. I nodded numbly, and Iggy said, "Lets go show Hermione." As they stood up, I put my books in my bag, and followed them.

I stayed quiet as we made our way down to the hospital wing, and when we entered, Hermione beamed at us. Her eyes were now brown, but trimmed with gold. I gave her a small smile, and she raised her eyebrows. I shook my head, and she looked at me with concerned eyes. I thought of an excuse on my depressed behaviour. I thought of the thing I had been doing my best to avoid entered my mind, and I mouthed, "Jeb." Hermione nodded and gave me a supportive smile.

Jeb Batchelder had been murdered at Christmas last year. My eyes glazed with tears as I thought how he would never be able to comfort me when I cried, or made me laugh when I was scared, or hold me when I had nightmares. I wiped my eyes and sat on the bed next to Hermione. She grabbed my hand and gave me a quick squeeze.

I gave her a watery smile, and she turned back to the boys. "Why are you here?" she said. Sometimes Hermione's bluntness surprised me.

Iggy pretended to looked offended, and with one hand on his chest, and the other raised in a dramatic manner, he went down on one knee and said loudly, "Hermione, say its not so! They should know of our secret love!" Hermione raised her eyebrows, fighting a laugh, while we were all clutching our stomachs and roaring with laughter.

"There's no need to be ashamed, my love," Iggy continued, "Many girls want to get a go with me, and you were lucky enough to be the one I picked! I'm sure McGonagall wouldn't mind." There was another round of laughter.

"What does McGonagall have to do with this?" I asked between laughs. Iggy raised his eyebrows and said, "She's clearly in love with me," he said bluntly. There was more laughter and I found myself on the floor. When we calmed down, I sat back down on the bed, and wiped the tears from my eyes. Hermione, who was still laughing, asked again, "Seriously, why are you here?"

Everyone became very serious at that moment, and Harry pulled the diary out from under his cloak and handed it to Hermione. "I found it in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom," he explained. My heart started beating faster as I stared at the diary. What if all my conversations with Tom reappeared, and everyone knew what I did?

She opened the diary slowly, and flipped through the pages. I let out a sigh of relief as I saw that it was empty. Hermione turned it around, and opened the cover page. "This fifty-years old," she said. "How do you know?" Iggy asked, frowning. Hermione held up the cover page and said, "The date here is from fifty years ago, hence it being fifty-years old," she said as if she was talking to a simple-minded child. He pouted and looked at the ground.

"Is there a name?" Ron asked. "All it says is T.M Riddle," Hermione read out. Ron frowned, then started jumping up and down happily. He hopped over to Iggy, grabbed his arms and made Iggy jump as well. "WHY ARE WE JUMPING?" Iggy yelled. "Why are you shouting?" I asked angrily. Iggy smirked, and shrugged. "Why are you so exited?" Hermione asked Ron.

"I saw that name somewhere!" He squealed. "Really, where?" Fang asked. "When I had detention with Filch, I burped up slugs all over a trophey. It was for special services to the school, and I had to clean it over hundred times," Ron explained. "How did you remember the name?" Iggy asked.

"If you cleaned it the amount of times I did, you'd remember a name!" he snapped. "Ron, was there a date on the trophey?" Hermione asked slowly. "Yeah, about fifty-years ago, or something," he said, looking around the room without any interest.

Hermione's eyes widened, and Harry asked, "What's wrong?"

"Oh, come on! Use your minds! This was a diary from fifty-years ago, and the same person who owned this got a reward for special services to the school _fifty-years ago!_" she stared at us with wide eyes, and then she huffed irritably. "Didn't you say that Malfoy told you the Chamber opened before fifty-years ago?"

"What? You never told me that!" I shouted. "We would of, but that night, you fell asleep. We never really brought it up after that," Fang explained. I scowled and turned back to Hermione. "Okay, I found out something important that I sound of found out ages ago, but please go on," I said.

"Okay, so this guy owned the diary fifty-years ago, and he also got an award of special services for the school fifty-years ago. What if the reason he got the award was because he found out who was attacking everyone back then," she said and there was silence. "And if he did," Fang said, "Then everything would of been written in the diary."

"Yeah, but sadly, theres nothing written in it," I said, hoping my voice wasn't too high. "There are charms we can use to see if anything comes up," Hermione said smartly, and my breath started going fifty-miles an hour. "Are you going to use them now?" I asked, my voice shaky.

"No, I'm too tired. You guys leave, I want to sleep," Hermione yawned. We grinned, and left the hospital wing.

Hermione was let out of the hospital wing during February, and Harry still had Riddle's diary. Iggy was making annoying jokes about Tom's names. "Hey, hey guys. I guess we have a _Riddle _to solve, don't we?" he would say, then he'd laugh for ages, and grin for ages like the idiot he was.

After winter was over, and as the sun started shining weakly in through the windows, there was also a ray of hope. There hadn't been any attacks since Justin and Nearly-Headless Nick,and people were starting to think that the Heir of Slytherin had been frightened out of attacking Muggle-borns.

Of course, Professor Lockhart liked to think that he himself stopped these attacks. We heard him telling some teachers in the corridors, "No need to worry about any more attacks. I think the Heir of Slytherin knew I would of caught him sooner or later.

"I think this school needs something to cheer them up for the new-term! I won't say anything else, yet but I'm sure everyone will find out soon," then he gave them a wink and strutted away.

On Day, Lockhart's idea of cheering the school up became clear. The six of us walked into the Great Hall, and I had to cover my eyes with my hands. "ITS SO PINK!" I screeched, much to the amusement of my friends.

There were pink flowers covering the whole Hall, and there were heart-shaped confetti falling from the ceiling. I blinked, trying to get rid of all the horrible pink from my vision. Hermione was overcome by giggles as soon as she walked through the doors, Fang, Ron and Iggy looked like they were going to get sick, and Harry looked as if he walked through the wrong doors.

We made our way over to Gryffindor table and sat with Neville, Dean and Seamus. "Whats going on?" I asked, rubbing my shoulder. We had had Quidditch practice last night, and I had fallen off my broom, and my shoulder was badly bruised.

Dean pointed to the teachers table, not even able to speak. There we saw Lockhart beaming at everyone, wearing bright pink robes that made me wince, and he was waving for silence. Snape was looking at Lockhart as if his deepest ambition at this moment was to throw him out the window. Now there was something I shared with Snape.

"Happy Valentines Day!" Lockhart shouted. "I would like to thanks the fifty-eight people who have already sent me Valentines. Yes, this was my little surprise, but there is more!" He waved his hand and the door of the Hall opened and half-a-dozen angry looking dwarfs that were wearing wings and carrying harps. Iggy mimicked vomiting on the floor.

"They will be going around the school all day, handing out Valentines you give them! And I'm sure if you ask Professor Snape to show you how to make a Love Potion, he will show you, and Professor Flitwick knows one or two enchanting charms! Just ask your teachers for a lesson involving love, and you will all be cheerful by the end of the day!" Lockhart said. Snape's lip was curling and I seriously doubted Snape would give us a lesson about love.

"Hermione, please tell me you weren't one of the fifty-eight people who sent Lockhart a valentine card," Fang said as we made our way to our first class. Hermione blushed a deep maroon, and became very interested in her shoes. I rolled my eyes, knowing she did make one for her, having been with her last night as she spent hours making the perfect card for the idiot.

For the whole day, dwarfs would be running all around school, stopping students in the corridors, and barging into classes and interrupting the teachers. At lunch, one ran over to us on the way to the Great Hall and grabbed my wrist in a hairy hand.

"You Max Ride?" he grunted. I nodded, looking around in embarrassment as people were staring at me and snickering. The dwarf pulled a rose from behind his back, and handed it to me. I smiled slightly and turned to walk away, my face burning, but the dwarf grabbed my wrist again.

"Not finished yet," he growled. "I have a poem to read to yeah," he said and he pulled a small piece of parchment from his pockets.

"_Dear Maximum,_

_Yours eyes are as brown as the sweetest chocolate, _

_And I love how your hair_

_Is neither blonde nor brown_

_You make me laugh, _

_You are different, and I like that_

_If only you were mine."_

The dwarf put the parchment away, and wobbled away down the hall. My face was bright red, and my five so called `friends' were openly laughing at me. "Oh shove off," I muttered, holding the rose in my left hand.

The day progressed slowly, with me thinking about who could of sent the valentine. When we made our way to Charms, we got another surprise.

A different dwarf wobbled over to Fang in the Charms corridor. "Mr Fang Martinez," he grunted and Fang turned around. He saw the dwarf and tried to keep walking, but I put my hand on his shoulder and pulled him back. If I had to go through it, so did he.

I noticed that there was a lot of first-years around as well, including Ginny. I waved and smiled at her, but she only smiled back half-heartedly. She was watching Fang with a look of fear in her eyes. I realized that Ginny must of sent Fang a valentine...

The dwarf cleared his throat and started to sing.

"_His eyes as are black as the night sky_

_His hair is as dark as a blackboard,_

_I wish he was mine_

_He is really divine,_

_The boy with raven eyes."_

Fang was actually blushing. He looked at all of us, and we were all snickering. I glanced at Ginny, who was hiding her face in her hair. She looked over at me, and I gave her a knowing look. She nodded, and blushed harder. I gave her an encouraging smile, and she looked at Fang. He was smiling, and looking around at everyone who was laughing at him. He spotted Ginny, and gave her a warm smile and a friendly wave, and then everyone else did as well, then everyone started leaving for class, but Ginny and her friends stayed behind.

Then of course, someone had to come and do something that made me mad.

Malfoy came over to us and said, "First, Ride got one and then Martinez. What has the world come to? Next Mudblood Granger will be getting love letters," he said. I growled at him, and grabbed my wand.

"Watch it Ride. Don't want your secret admirer looking somewhere else, although that will happen soon enough anyway," Malfoy said, and my eyes narrowed to slits. "And whats your excuse, Draco?" I said in a mock sweet voice. "I haven't noticed any dwarfs running around after you today. Are you jealous that us `freaks' actually got something. Upset that your only going to have your pillow to hold at night?"

Everyone that was listening laughed, and Malfoy's pale cheeks turned pink. He lunged at me, but Harry pushed me out of the way and Malfoy tackled him instead. Harry's bag ripped, and everything fell out onto the floor, including Riddle's diary. Malfoy jumped to his feet and before anyone could react, he had grabbed the diary.

"A diary, Potter? Lets see what Potter writes about in his little diary," he said and started flipping through it. I was staring through between the two of them, terrified. Percy Weasley strolled over, and saw what was happening. He saw Harry glaring at Malfoy, and he saw me looking at the diary. "Give it over, Malfoy," he said. "After I have a look," he said cheekily.

Percy went red in the face, and I could feel the lecture just begging to jump from his lips. "As a school prefect-"

But Harry lost his head, and he pulled out his wand and shouted, _"Expelliarmus!"_

The wand flew from Malfoy's hand and Iggy jumped up to catch it. Fang, Ron and Hermione were gathering Harry's things that were still scattered on the floor. "Harry!" Percy yelled. "Magic is not allowed in the hall! I'll have to take five points from Gryffindor!" Percy have Malfoy a last withering glance and he walked off down the corridor.

I nodded to the first-years to leave, and as they walked past us, Malfoy shouted to Ginny, "I'm not sure about you, Weasley, but I don't think Martinez liked your Valentine!" Ginny covered her face with her hands as she started crying, and ran into her class with her friends. Ron and Fang pulled out their wands and pointed it at Malfoy, but me and Harry stopped them from cursing Malfoy. We didn't need to be in more trouble then we were in before.

Harry was holding most of his books, including Riddle's diary. "Hey guys, look at this. All my other books are covered in ink, but the diary is perfectly fine, and I saw my ink bottle smash right on it," Harry said, looking at all his books. I swallowed and tried to rearrange my face to curiosity instead of fear. The thing about the diary was that it dissolved the ink you used to write in it.

That night in the common room, the twins were teasing Fang, singing over and over again, "His eyes are as black as the night sky!"

Harry went to bed late that night, and one by one everyone left to go to bed. I was finally left on my own, finishing some homework that wasn't due for another two weeks. After about an hour, I heard hurried footsteps running down from the boys dormitory. I raised my head and saw an exited Harry running over to me in his pyjamas.

"Max! Look at this! Look what I found out! Look!" he sat down next to me, then he stalled, and raised his head to look at me with his emerald green eyes. "Why are you still awake?"

"I'm doing my History of Magic essay," I said, leaving down my quill and looking at him. "What did you find out?" I asked.

"Watch!" he said happily and I rolled my eyes. Then, I felt my skin crawl as he pulled out Tom's diary. He picked up my quill and scrawled, _Someone tried to flush it down a toilet._

Despite my thumping heart, I looked at Harry with raised eyebrows. He shook his head, making his already messy black hair to become even messier. "Just watch," he said with a crazy grin.

Then, just as I had seen happen for months, words started forming on their own. _I always knew that there would be people who didn't want to read what was in this diary. _

I went into my automatic acting/lying mode, and made my eyes widen. "What the hell?" I asked quietly. "I just wrote my name, then he wrote back and said his name was Tom Riddle and he asked me how I found the diary and thats when I ran down here," Harry explained.

I nodded and said, "Should I ask him about the Chamber of Secrets?" He asked. I had a mini heart-attack right there and then, but I nodded anyway. He quickly wrote the question. We waited, and as usual the answer appeared on the page.

_I know a whole lot about the Chamber of Secrets. We were told that it was a legend, and was not real, which was a lie. When I was in fifth-year it was opened, and the monster attacked many people, eventually killing one. I found out who was behind it, and I stopped them, and he was expelled. They didn't want the truth to get out, so they spread the word that it was a freak accident, and the monster lived on._

Harry nearly broke my quill writing back. He told Tom about how the attacks are happening again, and he asked Tom who it was last time.

Tom wrote back fast. _I can show you if you want. I can show you my own memories. _

We hesitated. We could find out who had opened the Chamber fifty-years ago, or just sit here and wonder.

After a nod from me, Harry picked up the quill and wrote one word.

_Okay. _

**_Hey! How was the chapter? Good? Bad? REVIEW!_**

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**_-Rach ;)_**


	16. The Truth

**_AUTHORS NOTE!_**

**_How is everyone? Here's the new chapter, and I want to dedicate this chapter to Max Artemis Potter, who has reviewed on all the chapters! Thank you ,and I hope this chapter is good! _**

**_I'm on my mid-term break now, so I don't have school for a whole week! Which means more fanfiction! :D_**

**_Enjoy,_**

**_-Rach ;)_**

* * *

><p><strong><em>Previously:<em>**

After a nod from me, Harry picked up the quill and wrote one word.

_Okay._

* * *

><p><strong><em>Max's POV<em>**

Harry and I watched as Riddle's diary began to glow, and the pages flipped as if there was a strong wind in the room. It stopped on a page in the middle, and the date in the corner said _13th June, 1942. _Harry looked at me with his mouth hanging open,and I looked back, completely flabbergasted. There was a small box of light around the date, sort of like a television. Harry picked up the diary and held it up to our faces.

Before I knew what was happening, I was falling forward. Harry gasped as he felt himself leaning forward as well. My whole body left the couch, and I felt myself falling into darkness for what felt like hours.

My feet hit solid ground, and I staggered. I turned around to look for Harry,and I saw him getting to his feet,and he looked around in amazement as he took in our surroundings.

I looked around. We were standing in Dumbledore's round office. But it wasn't Dumbledore who was sitting behind his desk. There was a frail wizard sitting in Dumbledore's chair. He was almost bald, and seemed to be older then Dumbledore. Harry walked over to stand next to me, and said, "I'm so sorry, we didn't mean to interrupt-" but he stopped when the wizard didn't even raise his head.

Harry looked at me, confused and I just shrugged. Harry moved closer to the desk, and stammered, "W-we'll just leave then, should we?"

Again, we were ignored. The old man just continued to read a large book, a frown between his eyes. "Maybe he's a bit deaf," I said quietly. Harry nodded,and raised his voice.

"I'm sorry that my friend and I disturbed you," he half-yelled. The old wizard sighed, and closed the book. He stood up, walked passed me and Harry without even glancing at us, and strolled over to the window. Harry's expression was one of pure confusion, and I tried, "Maybe he's blind too." I knew he wasn't, but why else would he completely ignore Harry and I?

Then I noticed the sky. It was around mid-night when Harry ran down to the common room with the diary, which couldn't be found now, but the sky outside was only growing dark now. I turned around to look at the door, and saw that Fawkes the phoenix wasn't there. Neither was his podium. This wasn't Hogwarts as we knew it, it was Hogwarts from fifty-years ago, the Hogwarts Riddle knew.

"Harry, were back in Riddle's time," I told him. Even the thought of it made me shiver. "No one can see us," I finished. Harry's eyes widened, and he walked over to the old Headmaster, who I guessed was Professor Dippet, who was the principal before Dumbledore, and he started going a weird, crazy dance right in front of his eyes. I rolled my eyes and laughed, but Dippet kept his eyes trained on a spot outside the window.

There was a loud knock on the door, and Harry stopped dancing. He walked over to me, and grabbed my hand. I felt butterflies in my stomach when our skin touched, and he dragged me over behind the desk.

"Enter," Dippet said in a small voice. The door opened and my knee's grew weak. A very handsome boy, around fifteen, with dark hair and piercing brown eyes entered. This was the boy I saw in my brain-attack visions. **_Yes Max. You must beware of Tom Marvolo Riddle. _**

It might of just been me but I could of sworn the Voice had put emphasis on Tom's name. I put it out of my mind.

_Really, Voice? I never would of thought I needed to beware of him, seeing as he's making me attack Muggle-borns, _I thought back sarcastically. The voice remained silent after that.

"Ah, Riddle. Sit down," Dippet said. Tom walked in and sat down at the chair I sat in when Dumbledore told me Jeb had been murdered. "You wanted to see me, sir?" Riddle asked, twisting the hem of his sleeve. "I read the letter you sent me, Tom," Dippet said, sitting again at his desk.

Riddle remained quiet, and Dippet took a breath before continuing. "Dear boy, I can not let you stay here during the summer. Would you not rather go home for the holidays?" he asked.

Tom frantically shook his head. "I would much rather stay at school then to go back to-to that place," he said, staring into the eyes of his Headmaster. "During the summer, you live at a Muggle orphanage, is that right, Tom?" Dippet said. Tom nodded, a miserable look crossing his face. "So your a Muggle-born?" he asked.

Tom shook his head. "Half-blood, sir. My father was a Muggle, but my mother was a witch." Dippet nodded. I felt angry at him. Dumbledore made it his first-priority to know all the things about his students, so they can have a good time at Hogwarts. Tom is in his fifth-year and Dippet wasn't even sure whether he lived in an orphanage or not!

"And both your parents-?"

"My mother died after I was born. She lived long enough to name me thought. Tom after my father and Marvalo after my grandfather."

"Yes," Dippet continued. "You see Tom, I cannot let students stay here over the summer. With the current events..." he left the sentence hanging. "You mean the attacks, Professor?" Riddle asked, although I could tell by his face that he already knew the answer. Harry jumped forward a bit, not wanting to miss anything.

"Yes, the attacks. You should know how foolish it would be to allow you to stay here, Tom. Especially after the tragic accident...the death of the that poor girl...You must understand that you will be much safer away from here during the holidays. The Ministry of Magic is considering closing down the school, as we are no where nearer finding the source of the attacks."

Tom's dark eyes widened. "So, what your saying sir, is that if the person behind these attacks were caught, then the school would remain open?" Dippet nodded. "Do you know something about these attacks, Riddle?" Dippet asked. _Yes, he has everything to do with them, _I thought darkly. _Well, theres no proof that it was him who opened it the first time,_ a small voice in the back of my head said. _Oh shut up,_ I told it. Wow, I'm really crazy...

"No sir," Tom said.

"You may go, Tom." Dippet said. Tom stood up quickly and left the room. Harry held my hand again and we followed him. We walked down the moving stair case, and followed Tom as he made his way through the castle. Riddle stopped, and Harry held me back. It was obvious that Riddle was thinking hard. He was biting his lip, and his forehead was furrowed.

Suddenly he started hurrying off again, and we ran after him. We didn't see anyone until we were on the marble stair case where we saw a man with long auburn hair, and a high, pointed hat. It was Albus Dumbledore. "What are you doing up so late, Tom?" he asked.

"I just left the Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore," Tom said in a charming voice. "Well, go off to bed, Tom. It's not a good idea to be wandering around the castle at night these days. Not since..." he gave a sad sigh, said goodnight, and then walked off. Tom waited until he was out of sight, then he made his way down to the dungeons.

He led us into the dungeon where we had Potions with Snape. It was dark and we could hardly make out Tom anymore. I could feel Harry's hand in mine, and I squeezed it. He squeezed back, and I whispered, "Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm kinda freaked out," I said. Harry chuckled, and said, "I know. I am too." For some reason, hearing that made me feel better. Riddle stopped outside a door, and stayed there for what mus of been hours, looking through the crack in the door. Just as I was wishing I could go back to the present, there was a noise from behind the door.

Riddle crept in through the door and me and Harry followed. We were walking down a long corridor, following the noise. We were walking for around five minutes before Riddle came to a stop. There was a new noise, this time, it was a voice.

We heard a door creak open, and a hoarse voice swam out over the corridor. "C'mon...Gotta get yeh outta here...C'mon not, inter the box..."

There was something very familiar about that voice, but I couldn't place it. Suddenly, Riddle jumped around the door, and we stepped out behind him. Harry and I could just make-out the outline of a huge boy bending over a box.

"Good evening, Rubeus," Tom said, walking around the room. "What yer doin' down 'ere, Tom?" the giant boy asked.

Riddle moved closer to the boy, and said in a casual voice, "I'm afraid your little game is over Rubeus. I'm going to have to turn you in. They're going to close the school if the attacks don't stop." I gripped Harry's hand tighter. Tom framed someone for what he did. This was horrible.

"What yeh talkin' bout Tom?" Rubeus asked. "The dead girls parents will be here tomorrow, the least you can do is slaughter the monster that killed their daughter!" Riddle snapped. This boy was a great actor.

"It wasn't him!" roared the boy, trying to shield the box behind him. "He wouln'!"

"Move!" yelled Riddle. He pulled out his wand, and pointed it at the box. The spell hit the box and it banged open. Harry put me behind him, forgetting that we couldn't be seen. Harry screamed a loud, long scream that only I could hear, but I could't see why he was screaming. His shoulder was blocking my view. I went up on my tip-toes, and gasped. A large, black, hairy body with a dozen eyes and legs was scuttling across the ground. Riddle pointed his wand at it again, but was too late. The thing was already out the door, running down the corridor.

The large boy bellowed, "NOOOOOOO!" And jumped at Riddle, throwing his wand in the corner of the room. The scene whirled and danced, and I felt the sensation leave my body for a second, and when I opened my eyes, me and Harry were back in Gryffindor Tower, gasping for breath.

Harry and I stared at each other, then at the same time we said, "Hagrid opened the Chamber fifty-years ago."

* * *

><p>Harry and I had told Hermione, Ron, Fang and Iggy about what happened the next morning in Charms class. That was always the best time to talk, as everyone was shouting charms around the class, and things were flying everywhere. We always knew that Hagrid got expelled when he was thirteen, but he never told us why. I knew he was innocent, but I couldn't say anything to Harry other then "He would never hurt anyone."<p>

Again and again, we would be made to recount what we saw, and that made me want to be sick, but nothing like the conversations that would go on after that.

"Maybe Riddle got the wrong person."

"It could of been another monster attacking people."

"How many monsters can this place bloody hold?"

"This Riddle guy sounds a lot like Percy."

They'd go on like that for hours. One night in the common room while this was happening, I excused myself and went out through the portrait hole. I walked around the castle, and when I was on the seventh floor, I spotted someone sitting on the floor that might make me feel better.

"Hey Ethan," I said as I sat next to him. He looked up and I noticed that his eyes were red from crying. "Oh Merlin, Ethan. Whats wrong?" I asked. He sniffed and said "Remember a few weeks ago, I told you that my sister Lucy was really sick?" I nodded, not looking forward to where this was going. I had spent a few afternoons with Ethan by the Black Lake after that, and he was always talking about his little sister, and even though I never met her, I already loved this kid.

"I got a letter from my dad last night. Lucy didn't make it," he chocked. His shoulders shook with silent sobs, and I put my arm around his shoulder. We sat like that for a few minutes, Ethan sobbing into my shoulder. He sat up after a while and rubbed his eyes. "I'm sorry Max," he sighed. "We were really close, and I never got to see her while she was sick."

"I understand. I wouldn't be able to take it if anything happened to Angel," I said in a kind voice. "I'm so sorry about Lucy, Ethan. Even though I never knew her, I knew she was a great kid." Ethan nodded and I hugged him again. "Are you going to go home?" I asked. He nodded and said, "Her f-funeral is in three days."

"I'm sure she's happy where she is now," I said. He nodded and smiled slightly. "She always said that she wanted to see angels." I smiled and leaned on his shoulder. "Why are you walking around this late?" he asked a while later when none of us moved.

"My friends were annoying me," I said bluntly, and I was happy to see him laugh. "I heard you go a Valentine card," he said in a weird, slightly squeaky voice. "Yeah I did. Don't tell anyone, but I actually thought it was adorable," I laughed. He chuckled, and squeaked, "You know who sent it?"

I shook my head and I thought I felt him relax. "Why are you asking?" Before he could answer, there was a shout, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP! ITS ELEVEN O'CLOCK AT NIGHT!" We looked up to see Filch running down the corridor. I jumped up and grabbed Ethan's hand. We ran down the corridor and when we were three floors down, we stopped and leaned against the wall.

We were quiet, then when we didn't hear any footsteps following us, we burst into laughter. We laughed for ages, and we ended up on the floor, clutching our ribs. "This-is-the-most-I've-laughed-in ages!" Ethan said between laughs. "Me-too!" I said. We calmed down and stood up. "What time is it?" I smiled.

"Nearly twelve o'clock," Ethan said, looking at his watch. "Seriously? Oh, crap! I'm going to be in so much trouble!" I said, running my hand through my hair. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"My friends are going to be wondering what happened to me! There going to think I got Petrified or something!" I knew I couldn't get Petrified, because that would mean attacking myself, but they didn't know that.

"Okay, I'll walk you up. I'm going home tomorrow, and I won't be back for a week, so I'll see you then?" he said and I smiled. "Definitely."

We started walking up the stairs, and Ethan took my hand. I blushed and looked up at him. "Thanks for being a great friend, Max." I beamed and said, "Anytime."

Thats when things started going bad.

* * *

><p>I opened my eyes. I was lying on the floor and there were people standing around me. I blinked a few times before I realized that they were all teachers. "Miss Ride? Are you alright?" I turned my head and saw Dumbledore looking at me with concern in his eyes. I nodded and sat up. "What happened?" I asked as I noticed another huddle of teachers a few feet away. Dumbledore knelled down next to me and put a hand on my back in case I fell back.<p>

"Filch ran up to my office around ten minutes shouting about another attack. I called the Professor's and we followed Filch down to where he found the both of you-"

"Wait," I interrupted him. "The both of us?" Dumbledore looked confused and said, "Yes, Max. You and Ethan St James."

"Ethan was attacked?" I gasped. Dumbledore nodded and I buried my face in my hands. I attacked Ethan. Ethan is now Petrified, because of me. I fell back onto the floor and groaned. I tried to act like I didn't know what was happening, so I bit my lip hard enough that it brought tears to my eyes, and I brought my hands away from my face.

"Why am I not Petrified?" I asked, as tears fell onto my cheeks. "Because your not Muggle-born Max," Dumbledore said. No one knew that I knew that my father went to Hogwarts. Sometimes I think that Sorting Hat gave out information he wasn't meant to give. "How do you know I'm not?" I asked, playing dumb. "I think I know who your parents were, Max. But I'm sorry, I cannot tell you who they were. And besides, if you were a Muggle-born, you wouldn't be talking to me right now."

I nodded and tried to stand up. I looked over where Ethan was, and walked over. The teachers parted so I could see him. His face was a mixture of fear and anger, and his hands were spread in a way it made me think he had pushed me out of the way. I looked around to where we were, and saw that we were a floor up from where Moaning Myrtle's bathroom was.

There was a huge mirror on the wall, and thats where Ethan was facing. I looked into it, and saw that I was paler then usual, and my eyes looked dead. I turned to Dumbledore and said, "He was supposed to be going home tomorrow. His little sisters funeral is in three days! He won't be awake by then!" This time, real tears fell down my cheeks.

Its my fault that he's going to miss Lucy's funeral. I felt terrible. Dumbledore was looking morbid when I turned back to him. "I'm very aware, Max. I will have to inform his parents later on tonight, after you are safely brought to the hospital wing," he said. "I don't need to go to the hospital wing!" I protested. I was desperate to go back to the common room and tell my friends what happened.

"Max, there is a cut on your forehead from falling on the ground. Madam Pomfrey will have you fixed in the morning.

I agreed and allowed Dumbledore to lead me to the hospital wing. I only had one thought the whole way there.

I was still opening the Chamber to Secrets even though I hadn't spoken to Tom in weeks.

He was still able to posses me.

**_HEY! How was it? Good, Bad? Please review! I spent all day writing this, from around 11 in the morning to now, and the time it is now is 5.46pm. I kept stopping to eat, watch tv, go on Facebook, etc. BUT still, thats a long time...I'm still in my pyjamas!_**

**_Ah well, it was worth it! _**

**_REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!_**

**_-Rach ;)_**


	17. The Last Match

**_AUTHORS NOTE!_**

**_BOO!_**

**_Happy Halloween to everyone, and R.I.P to Lily and James Potter, who are 30 years dead today. :(_**

**_Hope this chapter is good, and please review! _**

**_Enjoy,_**

**_-Rach ;) _**

**_Max's POV_**

I lay in the hospital bed, staring at the curtains that surrounded Ethan's bed, tears leaving tracks on my cheeks. I can't believe what just happened. I hadn't written in that stupid diary for weeks, but I'm still getting possessed by Tom Riddle. And, now because of this, Ethan is going to miss his little sister's funeral.

I turned around so my back was to Ethan's bed. There was a huge bump on my forehead and my head was spinning. I fell into an uneasy sleep. I dreamed that I was back at the School, and I was on my own. The flock, Harry, Ron, Hermione and the other Weasley's were staring at me through the bars of my cage. "Help!" I shouted. They didn't move, and after a while, Harry walked over and put his fingers through the bars.

"Harry! Please help me!" I begged. He shook his head sadly and said, "You attacked all those people Max. You deserve to be back here, on your own. I can't believe we were friends. And now, because of you, the St James' have no children anymore."

"W-what? Ethan didn't die, he was only Petrified," I stammered. "No, you actually killed him," Harry said in harsh voice. A door opened and a man in a long whitecoat strolled in. It took me a minute to recognize him, and my heart started hammering.

"Donovan," I gasped. He smirked and opened my cage door. He grabbed my hair and pulled me roughly from the cage and threw me onto the floor. "I've trained you well, Maximum," he sneered. "But your still weak."

He leaned down and raised his fist to hit me, and then-

I bolted upright in my bed. My breathing was coming in puffs and there was cold sweat rolling down my face. It was dark and there was no sound from Madam Pomfrey's office, so I pulled the sheets off me and climbed out of bed. I stumbled over to Ethan's bed and opened the curtains. Ethan was lying there, his face frozen in shock, anger and fear. I put my fingers on his wrist, and felt a slow, steady pulse. I breathed out in relief, and covered my face in my hands.

Thats how Madam Pomfrey found me three hours later. She looked like she was going to yell at me, but when she saw my tear soaked face, she guided me slowly back to my bed. She handed me a Calming Draught, and I fell back to sleep.

* * *

><p>I woke up the next morning to find a pair of brown eyes staring at me. "Max! Are you alright? Please say something!" Hermione's frantic voice broke through to my mind, and I grumbled, "Yaimfineleavemealone."<p>

"What? Is she alright?" Ron's voice said. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. I was still in the hospital wing. "Oh my Merlin Max! What happened? At breakfast, Dumbledore told us that there was another attack last night, and we all knew that you didn't come back to the common room, so we all got terrified and we had to wait until break so come up and see if you were alright! We thought you were Petrified, but then you moved and were all very relieved now-"

Iggy cut Hermione off by covering her mouth with his hand. "Stop being a Nudge," he said bluntly. I giggled and Hermione glared at Iggy. He removed his hand and Hermione scowled at him. "I was not being a Nudge!" she shrieked. We laughed and Hermione blushed. "Oh my Merlin! I was! I wouldn't stop talking! I'm sorry, I was so worried-" Iggy covered her mouth again.

"Max, will you please explain what happened before Hermione has a panic attack?" Fang said as he sat on the end of my bed. I explained what happened last night, leaving out the part with my blackout, saying instead that Ethan saw something strange and he pushed me to the ground to protect me, and I hit my head on the floor and passed out.

"I never spoke to Ethan before, but now I really like that bloke," Ron said, looking at the bump on my head. I gave him a small smile, and noticed that Hermione was nearly in tears. "Whats wrong, Mione?" Iggy said, looking at the tears in her eyes.

"First of all, never call me Mione. Its stupid and I hate it. Anyway, its just really sad about Ethan. Just because of some stupid, sick person, he can't even go to his own sisters funeral," she said. I put my head down, and let them have a whole new round of who the Heir was. Madam Pomfrey came out of her office half-an-hour later, and shouted at my friends until they left.

I left the hospital wing that night, and made my way up to the Gryffindor common room. When I walked in, there was a lot of noise and I was suddenly surrounded by people. Apparently, Fang and Iggy thought it would be funnier to tell everyone they still didn't know where I was. As I was being hugged and checked-over by the other Chaser's on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, I glared at them.

Fred and George came over to me, and I face dropped. Knowing them, they were probably going to do something loud and involving me. They gave me an evil smile, and I started to back away. I did not want attention right now.

They jumped at me, and picked me up. I shrieked, and they placed me in such a way that one of my legs were on Fred's shoulder and the other was on George's.**_(the same way they held up Harry in Goblet of Fire after the first task, just in case I didn't explain it well enough)_**

"Fred! George! Put me down!" I screamed as everyone in the common room stopped what they were doing to look at us. I saw Ginny, and she gave me a huge smile that I returned. "Never," Fred said cheekily.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" George shouted. "Look who isn't dead! Miss Maximum Ride! At last she has shown up!" There was laughter, and I was blushing. "Please put me down," I squeaked. They laughed and placed me on the ground. "So what happened? Our little sister doesn't come back last night, and then Dumbledore tells us there was an attack!" Fred exclaimed. "Uh, I went for a walk last night after curfew, and I fell down the stairs and passed out. I woke up this morning in the hospital wing," I lied.

"Thats our Max. Always falling down stairs and giving her brothers heart-attacks," George smiled. "Why do you keep referring to me as your sister?" I asked. They both blushed and looked at their feet. "Well...You kinda are our sister now," Fred said. "May as say it a lot," George finished. I smiled and said, "I'm going to go over there and hit Fang and Iggy," I told them.

"Something everyone would love to do," they said at the same time. I laughed and walked over to where my friends were sitting. I sat beside Hermione and whacked Fang and Iggy over the head. "What the bloody hell was that for woman!" Iggy yelled, earning some amused looks from those around us.

"For telling everyone I was still missing! Even though you saw me this morning!" I hit them again for good measure, and when I was satisfied I sat back down. "So what have I missed?" I asked, ignoring Fang and Iggy as they rubbed their heads and insulted me.

"We've agreed not to talk to Hagrid about the Chamber unless there was another attack after Ethan. We would do it now, but that would be awkward," Harry explained. I swallowed, and nodded. Hopefully, Tom would leave me alone after this.

The days went by and I didn't pass out, or attack anyone. Professor Sprout told us a few weeks later that the Mandrakes had thrown a loud party in the greenhouse the night before, and that made her very happy. They were almost old enough to be made into a potion for those who were Petrified.

During Easter, all the second years had something to take their minds off all the attacks, even me. It was time to pick what subjects we would be doing in third-year. Of course, this was something Hermione took very seriously. "This is going to effect our whole future!" she told us. Iggy leaned back in his chair and groaned, "I don't care! I just want to drop Potions!"

"Yeah, well, you can't," I said, looking at the pages in front of me. "If we could, I would give up Defense Against the Darks Arts too," Ron said gloomily. "Ron, believe it or not, that subject is actually important," I said.

"Not the way Lockhart teaches it,"Fang said. "The most I've learnt from him is not to set pixies loose in class." Hermione glared at him, and he gave her a cheeky grin.

Hermione signed up for all the subjects on the list, and after sending a letter to Mrs Weasley, and getting one back full of advise, I picked Care of Magical Creatures, and Divination.

Gryffindor's next match would be against Hufflepuff, and we had been training nearly every night for it. This was the match that would see who would go to the final. The night before the match, we were sitting by the Black Lake before dinner and I heard Harry talking to Fang. He was saying, "What if I write more to Riddle? I might be able to get more information out of him about the Chamber."

My heart was hammering in my chest. Making it look like I hadn't heard them talking, I stood up and grabbed my bag. "Where are you going Max?" Hermione asked. "I fell a bit sick. I'm going to lie in bed before dinner."

I walked back up to the castle and up to Gryffindor tower. Making sure no one was watching, I ran up the boy's dormitory. I dropped my bed by the door and quickly went over to Harry's bed. I opened his wardrobe, and when I couldn't find the diary, I started throwing his clothes out onto the floor to see if he had it hidden. There was nothing in the wardrobe, so I went over to his bed. I threw back the blankets and tipped up the mattress. I pulled back the bedclothes, and when I saw nothing, I moved over to his trunk. I opened it and threw everything onto the floor. His cloak got caught on the bed and ripped down the middle.

Finally, I found it. Riddle's diary was at the bottom of his trunk, next to his Invisibility Cloak. I picked it up and ran out of the dorm, picking up my bag when I passed the door. I ran over to my own dorm and left my bag on my bed and put the diary into my trunk. I walked back down to the common room and then ran down to the Great Hall.

I met the others at the Gryffindor table. "Are you feeling better?" Harry asked sweetly. I smiled and nodded. "I'll feel even better after some food." My heart was still hammering, just in case Harry had some way of knowing what I did. Dinner was slightly awkward, but when we were heading back to the common n room, we were stopped by Neville, who's face was really red. "Harry! I-I d-don't know w-who did it-" he stammered.

"Neville! What happened?" Hermione said. Neville looked at us, then started walking back to the portrait of the Fat Lady. We climbed into the round tower and Neville led us up to the boys dormitory. I paled, and looked at around at the others. Everyone looked confused. Neville opened the door, and stepped out of the way so we could go in.

"Merlin!" Fang said, looking around the room. "What happened in here?" Iggy asked, picking up some of Harry's things and putting them back. Feeling bad that it was me who did this, I started helping Iggy.

"Someone was looking for something," Ron said wisely. "Really Ron? However did you come up with that idea," Iggy said, throwing a shoe at Ron. He screamed and dodged the shoe. "IGGY!"

"Yes?" Iggy said innocently. I grinned at my best friends fights, and looked back at Harry, who was sorting out his books. "Whoever it was, they got what they came for," he said, standing up. "Tom Riddle's diary is gone."

I woke up the next morning early. Every morning before a match, I would go for a long fly around the Forbidden Woods. I got up and pulled on shorts and a jumper and quietly left the dorm. I flew around for about two hours before I went back to the castle. I changed into my Quidditch uniform and then I passed out.

* * *

><p>Once again, I woke up to find myself on the ground. I was still in my Quidditch uniform and I realized I was back in my bed. I didn't want to know if I had Petrified anyone, so I just made my way straight to the Great Hall. I sat with the team, and Harry asked, "Where were you?"<p>

"Flying," I said simply. He nodded. "Wheres everyone else?" I asked.

"Ron's talking to Seamus, and Hermione dragged the others to the library," Harry said. He looked like he had something important to say, but before we could talk any more, Oliver Wood walked over to us and said loudly, "Great day for a match! We have great chances of winning!"

We walked down to the pitch at eleven, and I asked Harry, "Is there something you want to tell me?"

"Before Hermione dragged Fang and Iggy to the library, I heard the voice again."

I stopped in my tracks and said, "What did it say?"

"It said, _Kill this time...let me rip...tear..."_

I shuddered and said in a scared voice, "Do you think it killed anyone?"

"I really hope not."

We entered the changing rooms, and those who still needed to changed into their robes. After Wood's usual pep-talk, we walked onto the pitch to brilliant applause. We were just going to mount our brooms when Professor McGonagall came marching onto the pitch, holding a gigantic mega-phone.

My heart dropped into my stomach.

"This match has been cancelled!" McGonagall shouted through her mega-phone. There was uproar and Oliver walked over to McGonagall and said, "But what about the cup!"

He was ignored and McGonagall said, "Everyone is to go back to their common rooms where they will wait for their Head of House. Quickly!"

She pointed to me and Harry and said, "Potter, Ride, I think you should come with me." I felt my heart drop and my face lost all color. I saw Ron come over to us, and Harry asked him, "Where is Hermione, Fang and Iggy?"

"They never came back from the library," Ron said. My breathing was coming faster,and I was becoming light-headed. McGonagall turned back and said, "Yes, Weasley, you should come as well."

The three of us followed the teacher back into the school and she led us up to the hospital wing. "This might be a shock," she said, her eyes full of sadness. "There was a triple attack," she said in a small, gentle voice. My eyes widened and I clutched onto Harry's hand as McGonagall led us over to three beds at the end.

In one of them was a Ravenclaw fifth-year girl with curly-hair that I have never spoken to before and in the bed next to her was-

"Iggy!" Ron called. I couldn't even look into the next bed, but my fears became true when Harry cried, "Hermione!"

I started hyperventilating when I looked at my two best-friends, lying still as statues on beds. I turned to McGonagall with wide eyes, and she answered my unasked question. "Mr Martinez is in Madam Pomfrey's office, taking a Calming Draught, something I think you should take as well, Max." She went to the matrons office, leaving us with our Petrified friends.

There were tears falling down my face. Harry put a comforting arm around my shoulder, and Ron took my hand. I turned into Harry's shoulder and sobbed.

I attacked my best friends. What if this never stopped?

**_Hello all. How is everyone? What did you all do for Halloween? Hoped the chapter was good, and please REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!_**

**_BOO!_**

**_REVIEEEEEWWWWWWW!_**

**_-Rach ;)_**


	18. The Minister of Magic

**_AUTHORS NOTE!_**

**_Hola! Here's the new chapter! Hope its good!_**

**_Shout out for Terrace Lily, whos reviews always make me laugh! Sounds like you had fun on Halloween, haha! Me and my friend tried scaring kids, but it didn't really work out..._**

**_Anyway, here is the chapter!_**

**_Enjoy_**

**_-Rach ;)_**

* * *

><p><em>Previously:<em>

_Hermione and Iggy, along with Penelope Clearwater, had been Petrified._

* * *

><p><strong><em>Max's POV<em>**

I was completely numb. I Petrified two of my best friends, and a Ravenclaw girl. Harry was rubbing comforting circles on my shoulder, and Ron was gripping my hand. I started looking around frantically for Fang. He had been with Hermione and Iggy when they were attacked, but according to McGonagall he was fine and taking a Calming Draught, but I wouldn't believe that he was okay until I saw him.

The door to Madam Pomfrey's office opened, and a very pale looking Fang walked out. Harry and Ron let go of me and I ran over to Fang, and pulled him into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry," I sobbed into his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around my waist and said, "Why are you sorry?" I was shocked to hear that his voice was slightly hoarse.

"I fell like its my fault," I said honestly. He hugged me tighter, and we heard McGonagall saying, "I will escort you back to Gryffindor Tower. Max, are you sure you don't want to take a Calming Draught?" I nodded, and took one more look at Hermione and Iggy.

They were lying as still as statues, there eyes wide and glazed. I looked at the other girl, who's eyes were half closed. "Who is she?" I asked as we walked out of the hospital wing. "Her name is Penelope Clearwater. She's the Ravenclaw prefect, and a good friend of Percy Weasley," she said, looking at us. I was surprised to see that there were tears in her eyes. Ron noticed too, and asked, "Are you alright, Professor?"

She sniffed, and said, "Yes, yes. I'm sorry. I saw how you all reacted there and I'm just so touched that you care about your friends so much." She wiped her eyes and continued walking, us following behind her quietly. We entered Gryffindor tower after a few moments of walking, and she told us to sit down with the other Gryffindors.

"Attention!" McGonagall shouted. Everyone turned to her and she continued, "There has been another attack. But this time, three people became Petrified."

"Anyone from Gryffindor?" Lee Jordon asked. "Yes, Hermione Granger and Iggy Griffiths." McGonagall said. "If you don't mind me asking Professor, who was the third person?" Percy asked, thrusting his chest out so his prefect badge was showing. "Penelope Clearwater from Ravenclaw."

Percy paled and sat down in a chair. He put his head in his hands, and his body-language just shouted DEPRESSED.

Maybe him and Penelope were more then just close friends...McGonagall took out a scroll and read from it. "Everyone is to return to their House common rooms at six o'clock every evening and no one is to leave the common room after that time. A teacher will escort you to every lesson, and no one is to go to the bathroom without a teacher. All Quidditch training and matches are henceforth postponed. There are no more evening activities," she read.

I could see Oliver Wood's heart breaking at the cancel of Quidditch. "I must say that the whole matter is disturbing. It is more then likely that the school will be closed unless whoever behind this is caught. I am urging anyone who knows anything to step forward and tell either me or Professor Dumbledore." She gave everyone a grave look, and climbed slowly out the portrait hole.

"Can none of the teachers realize that none of the Slytherins have been Petrified? That's three Gryffindors, including the ghost, two Ravenclaws and one Hufflepuff. Can't they put it together? The Heir of Slytherin, the monster of Slytherin- why don't they just throw all the Slytherin's out and then everything will be alright!" Lee Jordon said, and there were shouts of approval and applause.

"What are we going to do?" Ron asked, looking around at everyone that were shouting insults about Slytherin. "Do you think they suspect Hagrid for all the attacks this time?" Fang said, looking out the window to where Hagrid's hut was. "We have to talk to him," Harry said. "I know its not him this time, but maybe he can tell us how to get into the Chamber."

I raised my head and said, "McGonagall said we can't leave the common room unless we have class and knowing the teachers, there all doing patrols around the halls. It will be impossible to get out of the castle without getting caught." Harry's emerald eyes sparkled dangerously, and we all groaned. He had an idea.

"I think its time to get my dads cloak out again," he said with a strange twinkling in his bright green eyes. Last Christmas, Harry had gotten an Invisibility Cloak that had once been his fathers. We used it many times last year to sneak around the castle at night.

We all went up to bed, agreeing to meet again in the common room at midnight. Without Hermione in the dorm, I suddenly realized how little I knew about Lavender and Parvarti. I also realized how much I disliked them. They were so girly and talked about boys all night. At midnight, they were both asleep after talking about how good-looking the Weasley twins were, which made me sick.

I climbed out of bed and pulled on a large jumper and left the room. I stayed in the common room for five minutes before the boys came down. Seeing that Iggy wasn't there, cracking his stupid jokes, made my heart drop. I looked to the seat beside me, where Hermione would always sit, and lecture us about doing our homework, and felt tears well up in my eyes. I blinked furiously and turned back to the boys. I smiled and stood up.

"Lets go," I said. Harry walked over to us and pulled the Cloak over our heads. We disappeared from sight and made our way down to the Entrance Hall. I was right, there were teachers, prefects, ghosts, and even the Head Boy and Girl, were walking around in pairs around the school. We reached the Entrance Hall, and eased our way out into the grounds. The grounds were empty and we were at Hagrid's hut in a few minutes. The lights were still on, so I didn't have to feel bad about waking up our large friend.

Fang's disembodied hand floated out of no where and he started hammering on the door. Him and Iggy were like brothers, so he wanted answers as much as anyone else. Before the door opened, I pulled off the cloak so Hagrid would actually see us when he opened the door.

The door burst open, and we were face to face with a giant crossbow. When he saw us, he lowered the crossbow, and said, "Oh, jus' ye. What're you doin' here?"

"What the bloody hell is that?" Fang exclaimed, eyeing the crossbow warily. "Nothin' nothin'," Hagrid muttered as he stepped out of the way for us to go into his house. "Expectin' someone else- doesn' matter. Sit down, I'll make tea." I noticed he seemed very jumpy and his warm, black eyes were going from spot to another.

"You alright, Hagrid?" I asked. "Have you heard about Hermione and Iggy?"

"Oh, I've heard alrigh'," he said, his voice cracking. He kept glancing at the windows, and he spilled most of the tea. He was just putting a piece of cheesecake on my plate when there was a loud knock on the door. We all shared looks of panic. Hagrid started indicating wildly to the Cloak that Harry had over his knees. Harry pulled it over me, Ron and Fang, and we went over an stood in a corner in the far side of the room.

Hagrid picked up the crossbow and went to the door. He opened it slowly and, we heard a familiar voice saying, "Good evening, Hagrid." It was Dumbledore. He walked into the house and he was followed by a rather odd looking man. He had grey-hair and he had an anxious expression. He was wearing a green pinstriped cloak, and a bright blue tie. He was wearing purple boots and a green bowler-hat. Ron gasped and whispered, "Thats the Minister of Magic! Cornelius Fudge!"

I frowned. Why would the Minister of Magic come here, unless Hagrid was in trouble. "I come on bad business, Hagrid," Fudge said. His tone was sad, but his eyes looked bored. "Very bad business. Six attacks on Muggle-borns. This has gone on long enough. I have to act on this."

Hagrid looked pale and sweaty. "But- I-I never-" he turned to Dumbledore. "Professor Dumbledore, yeh know I never-" My heart was breaking at the sight of Hagrid's face. Dumbledore nodded and said, "Hagrid has my full confidence, Cornelius."

"Albus, Hagrid's record stands against him. The Ministry has to do something."

"I'm telling you Cornelius, that if you take Hagrid away, it will do nothing."

"Listen to me Albus. Look at this from my point of view. I have to be seen doing something, I'm under a lot of pressure. If it turns out that Hagrid is innocent, then he will come back and there will no more said," Fudge said, twisting his hat in his hands. "Take me?" Hagrid said in a surprisingly high voice. "Take me where?"

"Only for a short time, Hagrid. More of a precaution. If we find the real person responsible, you will be let out will a full apology."

"Not to Azkaban?" Hagrid said, looking at Dumbledore with large eyes. Before anyone could answer, there was a rather loud knock on the door. Dumbledore went over to answer it. My breath caught in my throat as the door opened and it revealed none other then Lucius Malfoy.

He swaggered into Hagrid's hut, giving the occupants a satisfied smile. "Ah, already here, Fudge. Excellent," he said happily. "What're you doing here? Get outta my house!" Hagrid yelled. Mr Malfoy gave him a sinister smile, and said, "Believe me, I take no pleasure in being in your-did you call this a house?" He looked around the hut with a look of disgust on his pale face. I growled and Harry nudged me in the ribs.

"I called to the school," Malfoy continued, "And was told that I would find the Headmaster here." Dumbledore seemed puzzled and asked in a kind voice, "And what was you wanted me for, Lucius?" Even though his voice was kind, his eyes were blazing. Obviously, Dumbledore didn't like this man any more then the rest of us.

"Dreadful matter, Dumbledore," Mafloy said in a lazy voice, as if all he really wanted was to leave, not caring what he told anyone. "But I'm afraid that the governors feel that your losing your touch-getting too old, if you will. They believe it best if you step aside. This here," he pulled out a roll of parchment, "Is an Order of Suspension. If you look, you will see all twelve signatures here. How many attacks have there been now, Dumbledore? And three more this afternoon? Its simply getting out of hand, and we all think its best if you leave."

My mouth dropped. Dumbledore could not leave the school! If he did, I would most-likely be forced to attack a Muggle-born a day! I considered jumping out of the cloak, and telling them everything, but something held me back. I felt like something was taking control of my limbs, and I couldn't move. I tried to raise my arm a small bit, but it just remained still at my side. Tom obviously didn't want anyone finding out soon.

"See here, Lucius. Getting rid of Dumbledore is the last thing we need right now," Fudge said. Malfoy turned to give the Minister a sharp look. "The matter of the suspension of Albus Dumbledore is between the governors, Fudge. It does not concern you. As as the Headmaster has failed to but an end to these attacks-"

"If Dumbledore can't put a stop to these attacks, then who can?" Fudge said, looking outraged. There was something about Fudge that made me dislike him, but I still felt respect for him as he was trying to defend Dumbledore. In the meantime, I was still frozen where I was stood. "Well, Minister, that remains to be seen. The twelve of us have signed-"

Hagrid leaped to his feet, and I inwardly groaned. Hagrid was going to be overly dramatic. "An' how many of 'em did yeh have ter blackmail, Malfoy?" he roared. "Oh, Hagrid, that temper of your will lead you to trouble one of these days. May I remind you not to shout at the Azkaban guards like that. I doubt they would appreciate that at all."

"Yeh can't take Dumbledore away! The Muggle-borns won' stand a chance! There will be killin' next!" Dumbledore however, looked perfectly calm. He raised his hand and said, "Calm yourself, Hagrid."

He turned toward Malfoy, and said calmly, "If the governors wish for my removal, they shall have it."

"But-"

"No-"

Fudge's and Hagrid's protests were put on deaf ears. "However, I'm sure you will find that I have only truly left the school when none here is loyal to me. Help will always be given to those at Hogwarts who ask for it." Dumbledore spoke slowly and clearly, so every word was heard. For a split second, I was sure his twinkling blue eyes flashed to the corner where me, Harry, Ron and Fang were huddled, and I could of sworn he winked. Just in case he could see us, I winked back. He smirked.

"Beautiful words," Malfoy said, his lip curling. "We shall miss your individual way of running things, Albus. Also, I hope your successor will be able to prevent any- er, killings." He bowed low and walked over to the door and opened it. Dumbledore strolled out with his head held high, and Malfoy followed him. Fudge indicated to Hagrid to go ahead of him. This was it, Hagrid was going to Azkaban prison. I've heard Mr Weasley discussing it before, but only little things, but I picked up enough to know that it was an awful place.

Instead of leaving, Hagrid ran his massive hand over his face, and said in a loud booming voice, "If anyone wanter ter find out some information, all they would have ter do would be ter follow the spiders. That'll lead yeh right."

Fudge started at him in confusion and shock. I'm guessing thats not what people would say if they were going to Azkaban. Hagrid picked up his mole-skin coat and said, "Right, I'm leavin'"

Just before he walked out the door, he turned back and looked right at us. "An' someone will have ter feed Fang while I'm gone." The large boarhound lifted his head at the mention of his name, and started whinging when he saw that Hagrid was leaving without him. The door shut, and Fang pulled the Cloak off us.

"Were screwed," he said bluntly.

"With Dumbledore gone, we don't stand a chance!" Ron said. "They might as well close the school tonight. Hagrid was right, there will an attack a day without him here!"

Fang the dog was now scratching the door and howling. I tried to move my hand, and smiled as my fingers moved. I decided to try and tell the boys about everything, even if it did make them hate me.

I opened my mouth to tell them everything, but nothing came out. I tried again and again, but I remained silent. I growled in frustration, which the boys took as a growl of sadness, and we left Hagrid's hut, and went back to the castle.

* * *

><p>Over the weeks, I kept trying to tell the boys everything. I would try speaking, but no words would come out. I tried writing it down, but my hand would just make different words. I even tried writing it in the air with my wand, but nothing would happen. All this left me so frustrated that I would snap easily at anyone over the smallest things. Harry, Ron, Fang and Iggy thought I was just depressed about Hermione and Iggy, but of course they didn't understand.<p>

With summer creeping over the grounds, I was difficult to look out the windows and not see Hagrid bustling about his gamekeeper duties. Also, with the absence of Dumbledore, the students of Hogwarts were more scared then ever. The laughter in the halls were all fake, no one was smiling, and all the faces were scared and tense.

The worst thing was that we weren't allowed to see Hermione and Iggy.

"Were not taking any chances," Madam Pomfrey said when we tried to get in. "The attacker could come back here and finish these people off."

_Not likely, _I thought grimly, _I wouldn't want to hurt them anymore then I already have._

**_Your missing the big picture Max, _**the Voice would say whenever I had these thoughts. I would ask it what that means, but there wouldn't be an answer, like always.

One person who seemed to be enjoying it all was Draco Malfoy. He would strut around the castle, smiling at those who wore terrified expressions. One day in Potions, when Snape was sweeping around like an over-sized bat, Malfoy said, "Sir, with Dumbledore gone, why don't you sign up for the Headmaster job?"

Snape smirked and said, "Now Draco, I'm sure the Headmaster will be back. Now get back to your work."

After Snape led us to Herbology, something that must of meant a lot to Harry happened. Ernie MacMillian walked over to us, and said in a quiet voice, "Listen, Harry. I'm really sorry about suspecting you. I know now that you wouldn't attack Hermione Granger or Iggy Griffiths. I really am sorry," he said and held his hand out for Harry to shake it.

Harry shook his hand and then him and his friend, Hannah Abbot, came over to us and together, we all started pruning Abyssinian Shrivelfigs. "That Draco Malfoy," Ernie said. "He seems to be enjoying himself with all this. Ever think that he could be the Heir of Slytherin?" _Oh, great, _I thought, _Now people are starting to suspect Malfoy. We really must be the smartest in this school. _

"Isn't that smart of you?" Fang said. Him and Ron had clearly not taken Ernie's apology as fast as Harry had. Ernie ignored him and said, "Do you think it could be him, Harry?"

"No," he said shortly. We feel into a silence for a while before I noticed something. There was a stream of spiders on the other side of the glass, moving in an unnaturally straight line. I hit Harry on the arm, and nodded my head in the direction of the spiders. His eyes widened, and he whacked Ron on the hand with his pruning shears. I giggled as Ron cried out in pain.

"What the bloody hell was that for?" He said, rubbing his arm. "Why did you hit me and not Fang?" he continued. "Shut up and look!" I said, pointing to the line of spiders. Ron's blue eyes widened in fear. "Isn't that amazing," he squeaked.

"We can't follow them now," Fang said. Ernie and Hannah were listening to our conversation with confused eyes. Harry was watching the spiders, and said, "There heading into the Forbidden Forest." Ron looked even more frightened at this. "Bloody brilliant."

We were escorted to Defense Against The Dark Arts after that. We entered the class and Lockhart smiled at us happily, as if nothing was wrong. He saw everyone's frightened faces, and said, "Why is everyone so depressed looking?" I stared at him in disbelief. He was not serious?

"Come now! The danger has passed, the culprit has been taken away!" he said happily. "Oh, yeah. Says who?" Dean said loudly. "My dear boy, the Minister would not take away Hagrid unless he was sure that he was the one responsible."

"Yes he would," Ron said loudly. "Now, Mr Weasley, I think I know more about Mr Hagrid's arrest then you," Lockhart said as if he was explaining to a child what one plus one was. I glared at him and was about to say that I knew more then him, when Fang hit me. "We weren't there Max. Remember?" I nodded, and looked down at the table.

Harry passed us all notes during that class. Something that made my heart beat fast.

_Lets do it tonight. Were following the spiders tonight._

**_Well, here we are. Hope it was good, and please REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!_**

**_-Rach. _**

**_Oh, and anyone whos on Facebook, please like the Harry Potter page I made called Nothing Will Ever compare to Harry Potter. I'm the admin called Ginny! :D _**


	19. Aragog

**_AUTHORS NOTE!_**

**_Guten Tag everyone! Heres the new chapter, and I hope y'all like it and Review!_**

**_Enjoy,_**

**_-Rach ;)_**

**_Max's POV_**

We stayed in the crowed common room that night, waiting for everyone to leave. Seeing as Gryffindors had no where to go after six o'clock, the common room was more crowed then before. Harry was sitting on the Invisibility Cloak, as he had been all evening, while we were waiting for the room to clear. Fred, George and Ginny weren't helping.

They stayed with us, playing Exploding Snap. We kept loosing, hoping they would get the point and leave, but we played well into the night. It was after midnight before the twins and Ginny went to bed. We waiting until we heard the doors of their dorms closing before standing up and covering ourselves with the Cloak, and climbing through the portrait hole.

It was hard to get around the castle, just like it was when we went to Hagrid's. The teachers were still wandering around at night. We reached the main door and eased it open. We went out to the grounds, and down to Hagrid's. Harry threw open the door and Fang the dog started barking happily when he saw us. Just like Hagrid had said, we've been coming down every night to feed Fang.

Harry left the Cloak on the table and said, "Come on Fang, were going for a walk." The dog bound forward, and started licking Harry's face. I looked around Hagrid's house, and realized how sad it looked without Hagrid being here. There was no light or life in the house at all and Fang must of been really lonely here without him.

Fang ran out of the house toward the forest, and went up to a tree and raised his hind leg against the tree. I pulled out my wand and said, "_Lumos." _The tip of my wand immediately lit up. Harry and Fang followed suit. Ron's wand remained in his pocket. "Not going to help, Ronald?" I said. "If I do that spell, my wand might blow up," he said in a carefree voice.

I smiled, and Fang said, "Look, there are some spiders there. Lets go before they scuttle away." I looked at Ron, and raised my eyebrows. "Its okay, I'm ready," he said, and walked toward the forest. We followed him, and Fang the dog ran forward. From the glow of our wands, we went deeper and deeper into the forest. We walked for about twenty minutes in silence, listening for noises. Then finally, something happened.

The spiders we were following left the path.

We paused, trying to see where they were going, but it was only blackness beyond our small spheres of our wands. I could remember Hagrid telling us last year not to leave the path. But, Hagrid was no miles away sitting in a cell in Azkaban, and he had also told us to follow the spiders, so here we go.

"What do you think?" Fang asked. "We've come this far," I said. The boys nodded, and we all walked on. We followed the spiders for at least an hour, our robes getting caught on the branches and tearing. More then once, we lost the spiders and had to spot to try and find them again. After another ten minutes, I started noticing the ground sloping downwards, even though the tress were even thicker. Suddenly, Fang let out a loud bark that made us all jump miles in the air.

I bent down to pet the dogs head, trying to comfort it. I lifted my head, and saw Ron looking around frantically. "What?" he hissed, his eyes wide with fear. Harry gasped and said, "There something over there. By the sounds of it, something huge." We stayed quiet, listening. In the distance, there was the sound of a breaking twig.

"No, no, no, no, no, no,no..."Ron was muttering. He clutched my arm, and I whispered soothing words to him. "Shut up," Fang snapped. "Whatevers there, it might hear you!"

"Hear me?" Ron squeaked. "The whole forest had already heard Fang!" Fang glared at him, and Ron said, "I was clearly talking about the dog." I couldn't help a smile. Ron really got amusing when he was scared out of his mind.

We feel into an uneasy silence. The darkness was pushing in on us, and there was no more sound. Then, there was a low rumbling noise coming from the left. "Whats it doing?" I whispered. "Dunno," Fang said.

"Probably getting ready to pounce on us!" Ron said in a high voice. We all shivered. "D'you think its gone?" Harry asked. "Maybe," I said, raising my wand to see further in the darkness. Suddenly, there was blaze of light. We all winced and covered our eyes with our arms. Fang the dog got frightened and tried to run, but ended up getting himself caught in thorn bush, making him yelp louder.

"Guys! Guys, its our car!" Fang yelled in relief. "What?" I hissed. I put my arm down, and saw the boys crowded around the old turquoise car. "It's been here ever since you crashed it?" I said. "Must of been. Look at it though. The forests turned it wild!" Ron said, patting the car like a well behaved dog.

The car was scratched and covered in mud. I put my wand back down the pocket of my skirt. "Hey, the spiders are all gone," I said. Harry turned around, and squinted in the dark. "We have to try and find them," he said. But Ron didn't move with us. He was staring at the point over our heads, his mouth hanging open in shock. "Merlin Ron! If you've seen something moving it's probably nothing! Now close your mouth and lets start moving again," I said, rolling my eyes.

But Ron didn't move. He stayed stock still, eyes popping in horror. He slowly raised a hand and pointed behind us.

We never even had time to turn around. I heard a loud clicking and next thing I knew, there was something large and hairy sliding around my waist, and pulling me off the ground. I shrieked, and heard the boys calling for me. Then I heard them scream as they were lifted into the air too. I tried opening my wings, but the thing that was holding me was preventing any movement.

With my head hanging upside down, I saw that whatever it was holding me had six, long, hairy legs, holding me right under a huge pair of black pincers. It was a gigantic spider. I shuddered, and tried not to throw up from being upside down for so long. Behind me, I could hear other spiders carrying Harry, Ron, Fang, and Fang the dog.

We were being taken into the heart of the forest. I tried screaming but my voice seemed to have deserted me. The spider seemed to have me in its grasp for a long time, but it could of only been mere minutes. I craned my neck to the side, and saw that we were in a big hollow that had been cleared of trees so that the moon above gave us a clear view of what lay ahead.

Spiders the size of horses were swarming everywhere. Ron was whimpering fearfully, and I felt really bad for him. We were led to the middle to the hollow, and I heard the hundreds of spiders that were around start clicking their pincers happily as they saw us.

I fell to the ground roughly as the spider let go of me. Harry, Ron and Fang landed next to me, and Fang the dog fell behind us, whimpering. Ron's face was frozen in a silent scream, and his eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head. Harry and Fang looked scared,and my heart was threatening to burst out of my chest. Then something really weird happened.

The spider that had let go of me started talking.

"Aragog!" it said, although it hard to make out with all the clicking from his pincers. "Aragog!"

Then something started rising slowly from the domed wed at the end of the hollow. It was a spider the side of a small elephant, and its back was streaked with grey, and it's eyes were a milky-white. It was blind. "What do you want?"he said in a soft voice, his pincers clicking fast. "Men," another spider said simply.

"Is it Hagrid?" he asked, his eyes flashing. "No, Aragog. Strangers." Aragog growled and said, "Kill them. I was resting. Do not disturb me again."

"Were friends of Hagrids'" I called, my voice full of hope. Aragog paused, and said, "Friends? He's never sent men into my hollow before." I grasped this chance and said, "He only sent us because he's in trouble."

"Trouble? What happened?" Aragog asked, his cold voice. "They think he's attacking Muggle-borns in the school," Harry explained. "He's been taken to Azkaban," Fang said. "All these voice are too confusing! I only want the first person to talk-the girl," he snapped. I'm guessing he had a point.

"They took him to Azkaban a few weeks ago. We were there when they took him, and he told us that if we ever wanted answers, to follow the spiders. We decided to follow them tonight," I said in a calm voice, even though my whole body was shaking.

"But that was over fifty years ago! I can still remember it well, even after all these years. Its why he was expelled. I was thought to be the monster that lurks in the Chamber of Secrets. Everyone believed that Hagrid had opened the Chamber to set me free." Aragog seemed to be fuming.

"So your not the monster?" Harry asked. Aragog didn't answer him, so I asked, "Your not the monster from the Chamber, are you?"

"Me!" Aragog bellowed. I'm guessing he's going to ignore any that talks apart from me. "I was born in a different country. Hagrid bought me when I was still in an egg from a traveler. Hagrid was very young, but he had a big heart, and he cared for me. I stayed hidden in a cupboard in the school, and Hagrid would feed me from whatever he could get from the table. I was blamed when they found the dead girl, but Hagrid did his best to protect me. He put me here, and he still visits me when he can. He is a good man, and a good friend. He even went to the trouble of finding me a wife, Mosag. As I'm sure you can tell, our family has grown."

"So...You've never attacked anyone?" I asked. "I would never hurt a human out of loyalty to Hagrid. The body of the little girl was discovered in a bathroom, and I was never anywhere in the castle except for the cupboard where Hagrid kept me. We like the dark and quiet." Aragog explained, and I felt myself relax.

"Max, ask him whether he knows what killed the girl," Fang said. "Er, what he said," I said. Aragog remained silent. "Wow, someone is childish," Harry said. I rolled my eyes and asked, "Do you know what killed that girl?"

There was a lot of clicking and hissing at this. "It lives in the castle, and it is something spiders fear above nothing else. How I begged Hagrid to let me go when I felt it around the school."

"What is it?" I asked eagerly, but apparently that was the wrong thing to ask. "We do not speak of it!" Aragog hissed along with the other spiders. "We do not speak its name! I've never even told Hagrid the name of the monster!"

I didn't press the matter, not with all the spiders closing in around us. Aragog speared to be growing tired, as he started backing away into his domed web.

"Right, well, er, thanks. We'll just go now then," I tried, but Aragog chuckled. "Leave? I don' think so."

My heart was thumping against my rib cage so much it was becoming painful. "But- but-"

"On my orders, my children do not harm Hagrid, but I cannot defy them food when it wanders to willingly into our home," Aragog said, and I could tell he was giving me a cruel smile. "We didn't wander willingly! We were dragged here by some over-sized spiders!" I yelled. This was a very bad thing to say.

"You insult my family! KILL THEM ALL!" Aragog yelled. I jumped to my feet, and Harry, Ron, Fang and Fang followed me. We were completely surrounded by spiders, all of them staring at us with ugly faces. Even as I reached to my skirt for my wand, I knew it was a useless. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of them around us. But, as I prepared to fight for my life, the hollow filled up with a blazing light.

Mr Weasley's car thundered into the hollow, the horn hollering and knocking spiders out of the way. The car came to a halt in front of us, and Fang yelled, "Ron! Get Fang!" Usually, Ron would of said something like, "Why? He's right there," and point at Fang, but not tonight. Ron ran over to the shaking dog, grabbed him around the middle, and threw him into the backseat of the car.

I sat in the front, and Ron sat in behind the wheel. Harry squeezed in beside me and Fang flung himself into the back of the car. The doors slammed shut and the car started moving on its own. We sped away from the hollow, and away from the spiders. We crashed through the forest, and clearly the car knew where it was going.

I looked at Ron. His mouth was still open in a silent scream, but his eyes looked like they were now safe in his eye sockets. "Ron, are you okay?" I asked. He nodded, and kept his eyes straight ahead, in too much of a shock to actually talk.

After ten, noisy minutes, the trees started thinning. We were able to see the night sky above. The car stopped so suddenly that if Ron hadn't grab my wrist, I would of been flung through the windscreen. We reached the edge of the forest, and both the Fang's in the back burst out into the open air. Harry and I got out, and after a minute, Ron followed us. Harry rubbed the car gratefully, and it reversed backwards to the forest. Fang the dog ran into Hagrid's house after I opened the door for him.

We went in to get the Invisibility Cloak, and the poor dog was under a blanket, shaking. I knelt beside him, and gently rubbed the back of his ears. He seemed to have calmed down, so I followed Harry and Fang back outside.

Ron was leaning against a tree, getting violently sick. "Follow the spiders," he muttered, wiping his mouth. "If Hagrid ever gets out of Azkaban, I will kill him." "He probably thought that beautiful little Aragog wouldn't hurt his friends," Fang said, sarcasm dripping from every word.

"Thats his problem! He'd only think an animal was dangerous if they bit his head off!" Ron said furiously. "What was the bloody point of sending us there! What the bloody hell did we find out!"

"We found out that Hagrid is actually innocent," I said as Harry draped the Cloak around us.

Ron remained in a silent huff after that. We made sure that our feet were completely hidden before setting of towards the school. We carefully made our way through the castle, barley breathing when we passed the teachers that were still patrolling the halls. We reached Gryffindor tower where the fire had been reduced to ashes.

Fang pulled the Cloak off us and threw it at Harry. We sat down on the couches, and Ron closed his eyes, leaning back. We sat there in silence for a long time, pondering what had just happened.

"What do we do?" Fang said after a long time. "We've hit dead ends everywhere. Riddle's caught the wrong person, we don't know where to start to find out what the monster is, the Heir had gotten off, and no one knows whether its the same person or a different one this time-" I looked down at my shoes. I tried once more to tell them it was actually me, but I only looked like a fish out of water.

"Theres nothing else we can do," he said sadly, putting his head in his hands. Fang always took everything to heart. Because our best friends had gotten attacked as well, he had become more determined to catch the attacker, not knowing that the attacker was with him all the time.

Suddenly, Harry jumped up, beaming. "Is there a reason you look so happy?" I asked. "Remember what Aragog said?"

I groaned. "Which part?"

"The part about the girl who died. He said that she died in a bathroom...Well, what if she never left?" I frowned, confused at what he was trying to say. Then my eyes widened.

"Not- You don't mean Moaning Myrtle?" I gasped. Ron and Fang gasped, and Harry nodded.

"I think Myrtle was the person the monster killed fifty-years ago."

**_Hello! Sadly, this story is nearly over. But never fear! There will be a third...then a fourth, then a fifth, and a sixth, and finally a seventh!_**

**_So, I hope this was a good chapter, and if its not too much to ask, _**

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**_-Rach ;)_**


	20. Into the Chamber of Secrets

_**AUTHORS NOTE!**_

_**Hello all. I would like to dedicate this chapter to the one and only LeoDaLion! you review all the time, and I enjoy talking to you on PM! Hope you like the chapter, Leo!**_

_**Enjoy,**_

_**-Rach ;)**_

_**Max's POV**_

"Would think we would of asked Myrtle how she died," Ron said grumpily the next morning. "How could we of known that she had something to do with it? I just thought she drowned in the Black Lake, then got so depressed she decided to live in a bathroom," I said. I rubbed my temples. Ever since I woke up that morning, my head has been throbbing painfully.

If it had been hard enough to look for spiders around the school, it would harder to go into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. But, something happened that took our minds off the Chamber. In Transfiguration, McGonagall announced that our end-of-year tests would be in a week.

"Exam?" Dean Thomas roared. "Were still getting exams after everythings that happened?"

McGonagall pursed her lips and said, "It was Dumbledore's wish to run the school as though nothing had happened, and that means fulfilling your education. The point in keeping the school open for this long was so you could get an education. Tests will take place as usual, and I sincerely hope that you have all been studying hard."

With everything going on, I had forgotten about the exams. Judging from the faces on the boys, they did too. At the end of class, Ron held up his wand, which was still only held together by Spellotape, and said miserably, "How am I going to pass any exams with this?" Then, his wand started whistling.

Over the next few days, I started feeling worse and worse. I was paler then usual and found it hard to eat food. I distracted myself by staying in my dorm, studying.

Three days before the exams, McGonagall stood up at breakfast, and raised her arms for silence. "We have excellent news!" she said happily.

All over the hall, people started shouting things. "Dumbledore's back!" one shouted.

"The Heir of Slytherin has been caught!" I heard a boy shout from the Ravenclaw table. I looked over my shoulder and recognized him as one of Ethan's friends. Then, of course, Oliver Wood yelled, "Quidditch is back on!"

When everyone calmed down, McGonagall smiled (something that doesn't happen often) and said, "I have just been informed by Professor Sprout that the Mandrakes will be ready this evening. We will be feeding them to those who have been Petrified, and hopefully one of them will be able to tell us who the attacker was!" I paled and looked down at the table.

I couldn't remember what happened when I attacked them. What if one of them saw me? Would I be expelled? How much trouble would I get in, even if I explained that I was being possessed? "Whats wrong Max?" Fang asked. I made my mind up. I would try and tell them once more.

"There something I have to tell you," I said fast. They stopped eating, and turned to look at me. I opened my mouth, but once more, there was nothing. I kicked the table in frustration, and before anyone could ask anything, Ginny came over and sat with us. She was already overly popular in first year, and had a lot of friends.

"Its great that the Petrified people will be coming back," she said brightly. My heart started hammering painfully, and I grabbed my bag, and said, "I need to go. I, er, left a book in the common room. I'll see you in class." I quickly left the Great Hall, ignoring the curious looks I was getting from my friends.

I was walking towards the stairs when something happened. I felt a sharp pain in my head, and before I knew what was happening, I had turned around and was walking towards the first-floor. I could see what was happening, but I had no control over my body. I found myself at the spot where Mrs Norris was found, and then I found myself on the ground.

When I found a sharp piece of glass, without evening thinking of it, I slid it across my palm. The blood started pouring from the wound, and I quickly stood up and went to the wall. I tried fighting it, but whatever was doing this was strong and I couldn't stop this.

I watched helplessly as I drew another message on the wall out of my blood. When I had finished, I stepped back and read what it said.

_Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever._

If I had been in control of my body, I would of gasped. It felt like my heart was going to jump out of my chest. Also, I noticed that I was becoming weaker, and I was feeling numb. My legs started moving of their own accord and they took me back up to the seventh-floor. I gave the password to the Fat Lady, and my legs carried me to my dorm. I started throwing all the things from my trunk on the ground until I found Riddle's diary.

I grabbed it and felt myself running again. I lost all my senses for a while, and when I opened my eyes, I was in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, the diary clenched in my fist. I was made to go to the sinks, and I was stopped in front of a particular one. I noticed that the tap had a small snake etched into the side.

My mouth opened, and out came a snake-like hiss. It sounded like the hissing Harry did at the Dueling Club...That made me realize I was speaking Parseltounge.

At once, the tap started glowing with a bright, white light and started spinning, and then it began to move. The sink started sinking, leaving a large pipe exposed. When the sink stopped moving, my legs started moving towards the pipe. Before I could even attempt to scream, I had jumped down the pipe. I screamed in my mind and closed my eyes.

_**I told you to be careful Max. You should of listened. **_

The Voice boomed around my mind. I ignored it and tried to get in control of my body. My hair was flying behind me and my stomach was churning. I felt like I was going down a dark, slimy slide and I mentally cursed when my elbow banged off a curve in the pipe. It went on for what felt like hours, and I felt myself becoming weaker and weaker as the more time passed.

My tired mind then started making me worry about what would happen when the tunnel ended, but after what could of been minutes, or seconds, it started to level off. I fell out of the end, scraping my knees. I stood up and started walking like a zombie, slow and clumsy, through the dark, tunnel big enough for me to stand straight.

I walked and walked, not even reacting to the large snake skin on the ground that was stretching for miles beside me. The tunnel turned and turned for miles, and my bare legs were freezing- I wasn't wearing my robes, just the white shirt and skirt.

At last, the tunnel came to an end. My breath was raspy, and I was finding it difficult to keep walking. If someone wasn't possessing me, I would of collapsed then and there.

There was a wall in front of me, and engraved on the wall was two large serpents were entwined. I approached the wall and my mouth opened and the same hissing from before issued from my throat. I couldn't understand what I said, but it seemed to work. The two serpents started growing apart and the wall started to part in two.

I stepped inside and walked into the Chamber of Secrets.

* * *

><p>I was walking down a low lit chamber. There were towering pillars on each side of me, all of them snakes. My heart was hammering in my chest as I strode on down the chamber where I would most-likely never leave alive. Each of my footsteps echoed loudly off the high ceiling. When I finally drew level with the last pair of stone pillars, I saw a large statue that was as high as the Chamber itself.<p>

I felt movement in my hand, and I looked down. Riddle's diary was jerking around in my hand. It fell to the ground, and I felt all control return to my body. I started backing away from the spasmodic diary. It had started glowing a bright white, and the pages were flipping back and forth. I felt intense pain all over my body, and cried out.

I fell to my knees in front of the large statue, and looked at the diary. I gasped when I saw a figure emerging from the book. Yes, a person was coming out of the book. I couldn't believe it, so I pinched my arm. With all the pain I was in already, I didn't feel it.

The person was now standing on the wet ground of the Chamber. I recognized him immediately. It was Tom Riddle himself, standing there the exact same as when me and Harry saw him "catching" Hagrid.

"Hello Maximum," he said pleasantly, though his eyes remained dark and cold. "What do you want?" I growled through clenched teeth. "Well, seeing as you asked, Maximum," he said. "At first, I wanted to get rid off all Mudbloods in the school. But after talking to you-" he's eyes flickered to my back, where he knew my wings were, "I have a new goal."

"Which is?" I asked, trying to keep the pain from showing on my face. "You told me that one of your closest friends was Harry Potter?" he said, staring into my eyes. I gasped and clutched my stomach as a new wave of pain flowed through me. "What about him?" I shrieked. I hated myself for losing it like this.

"Do you know how an ordinary baby with no powers was able to defeat the greatest wizard of all time?" he growled, as if saying the words were painful-which I hope they were.

Without thinking I said, "Harry never defeated Dumbledore." Riddle's face contorted with rage, and he stepped closer to me. Before I could pull away from him, he had slapped me across the cheek. I feel to the ground, unable to stay kneeling. I rubbed my throbbing cheek and shouted, "What the bloody hell was that for?"

"I WASN'T SPEAKING ABOUT ALBUS DUMBLEDORE!" he bellowed. It rang across the Chamber. "Then who were you talking about you psycho?" I said. Even when I was lying on the floor, shivering from pain, I still managed to get under people's skin.

"Lord Voldemort!" he said and spit sprayed from his mouth. "He was after your time!" I snapped. This guy was really a dumbass. "Lord Voldemort is my whole time," he said in a calm manner. This guy needed to sort out his priorities.

"What are you raving on about, you lunatic!" I yelled. I was getting weaker and weaker, and there were black spots in my vision.

He leaned down so he was right in front of my face, and pushed me down so that I was laying on my back. "_I am Lord Voldemort."_

My eyes widened, and he said. "I'm sure you notice that I'm becoming more and more solid as we speak?" I nodded, to weak to speak. "Thats because your life, is coming into me, and making me more then a memory. I a few hours, you will be dead, and Lord Voldemort will rise once more."

"What does Harry have to do with this?" I mumbled. Riddle was getting blurry, and I felt my heart slowing down. "You told me all about him, Maximum. I know that he will come to save to you, and thats when I will kill him."

I passed out, thinking _I'm sorry Harry. I couldn't help it._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Fang's POV<strong>_

Harry, Ron, Fred, George, Ginny and I sat in the common room in silence. Max was gone. She had been taken into the Chamber of Secrets, and now she was going to die. We found out about the basilisk, and we think we know where the entrance is, but none of it was worth anything. How could we defeat a basilisk?

Max is pretty much dead...My heart was breaking at the thought. There were so many things about Max you couldn't help but love. Her carefree laugh, her kind nature, her blazing look when she was emotional, and everything else. I knew that Harry had feeling for Max, even if he didn't know it himself.

After sitting in the common room for hours, Fred and George left, unable to be with all these people. Ginny followed them, tears streaming down her face. I looked around the common room and saw all the somber faces of the Gryffindors. It was amazing how many people cared about Max...

"She knew something," Ron said, his voice hoarse from lack of use. "That's what she was trying to tell us this morning, but she couldn't. She must be half-blood or pure-blood, or else she would of been attacked with that St James bloke. Theres no other reason..."

I stood up, and my two best mates looked at me. I could see the misery in Harry's green eyes. "We need to do something. I know the three of us don't stand a chance against a basilisk, but if Lockhart's going to try and get in, we should tell him what we know." Harry and Ron nodded, and the three of us left. No one tried to stop us, feeling to bad for us about Max.

We walked in silence to Lockhart's office, and when we were outside, we could hear that there was a lot of activity going on in there. There was bangs and thumps, and I could hear Lockhart talking to himself. I raised my fist and knocked on the door. There was a sudden silence, then the door opened the tiniest bit, just enough to see one of his scared looking eyes.

"I'm really quite busy right now. Come back another time," he said fast, and he went to close the door. Ron quickly stuck his foot out, blocking the door from closing. "We have some information we think could help you," Ron said coldly.

"Well-I'm not quite- I'm terribly- Quite busy...Oh all right," he said uncomfortably. He opened the door and we walked in. I looked around his office and narrowed my eyes dangerously. The whole room had been striped bare. There were trunks open around the floor, full of clothes and pictures of Lockhart himself. There were no more pictures on the walls, and all the candles had been blown out.

"Going somewhere?" I asked in a dangerously quiet voice. I used to use it on the whitecoats in the School, and haven't use the voice since Jeb got us out of there. I was hoping I wouldn't have to.

"Er-yes, I am. Something urgent- couldn't avoid it-"

"What about Max?" the three of us snaped at the same time.

"About that...Most tragic, always liked that girl...Like I said, this is unavoidable..." as he talked, he was walking around, grabbing things and throwing them into his trunk. "You teach Defense Against the Dark Arts! You can't just leave, not with everything thats happening!" Harry said jerkily.

"When I agreed to the job, I didn't have any idea that something like this would happen!" Lockhart yelled. Something clicked in my mind and I snapped, "There's nothing urgent you have to go to! Your running away!"

Lockhart looked sheepish, and said, "Yes, Mr Martinez, I am running away." Ron's eyes narrowed, and he growled, "Even after everything you did in his books?" Lockhart glanced at him, and smiled, "Books can be misleading, Weasley." "But your the one that wrote them!" Harry yelled.

"Dear children," he said in a kind voice, and I clenched my fists. "I wouldn't be getting half as much money as I am now if people thought that I wasn't the one doing all them things! No one would want to read about an ugly American warlock, even if he did defeat a werewolf and save a whole town! Imagine him on the cover."

"You've been taking credit for the things others have been doing?" I said. I thought I hated him before this, but now...

"Its harder then your making it sound, Martinez," Lockhart said, as though talking to a young child. "I needed to ask them exactly what they did, and I mean every single detail, then I needed to perform a very powerful Memory Charm. I am very proud of my Memory Charms, if I say so myself. No, boys, it hasn't been easy at all."

He closed the lid of the trunk and turned to look at us. "Let me see...Only one thing left to do...Oh, yes." He pulled out his wand and pointed it at us. "Awfully sorry chaps, but I can't have children shouting my secret. Don't worry, it won't hurt." Lockhart had barely raised his wand before Harry shouted, "_Expelliarmus!" _

Lockhart fell backwards over his trunk, his wand flying in the air. Ron caught it, then threw it out the window. "Why did you do that?" I yelled. Ron looked at me, confused. "You could of used it, seeing as your wand is broken!" Ron cursed to himself, and glared at his broken wand. I grinned at his antics.

Harry kicked Lockhart's trunk, and the man himself was cowering on the floor. "There's nothing I can do!" he cried, looking fearfully at the end of Harry's wand, which was right between his eyes. "I don't know where the Chamber of Secrets is!"

I grinned in a baneful manner, and said, "Well, aren't you in luck! We know where it might be." I grabbed his sleeve and pulled him to his feet. We marched him out of his own office, and down the corridor. We walked calmly into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, Lockhart protesting the whole way.

Myrtle floated above our heads when we walked in. "Oh, it's you," she said, absently picking at a spot on her chin. "What is it you want now?"

"Is it alright if we ask you how you died?" I asked in a kind voice. None of us knew how she would react to that question. But, oddly, she seemed delighted that we asked.

"Oh, it was very tragic," she said dramatically. "I was crying in the stall there because Olive Hornby had been making fun of my glasses, when I heard the door open. I heard them saying something strange, but what really annoyed me was that it was a boy talking. So, I unlocked the door to tell him to leave, and I...died."

"Just like that?" Ron said bluntly. "How?"

"No idea," Myrtle said, looking important. This was probably the most someone has talked to her since she died. "All I can remember is a big pair of yellow eyes right over by that sink," she said, pointing to the dirty sinks. Harry hurried over to them, Ron and me following, me dragging a shivering Lockhart. "Myrtle, can you remember which sink it was?" Harry asked, looking at them all in turn.

"Somewhere around there, I think," she said, gesturing to the sinks closest to her stall. We walked over to it, Lockhart following slowly behind. "It just looks like an ordinary sink," Harry said, sounding disappointed. He straightened up and looked at me. "Fang, can you see anything?"

Because of all the experiments done on us in the School, the whole flock have enhanced senses- including sight, meaning that if there was something on that sink, I would be able to see it. I looked closely, and after only a few seconds, I saw it. A small snake etched into the side.

"There! On the side!" I said, pointing at it. Harry tried turning it on, but according to Myrtle, its never worked. "Harry," I said. "Say something in Parseltounge."

He nodded, his black hair flopping untidily on his forehead, and looked at the tap, a look of concentration on his face. "Open," he said. He looked at us with raised eyebrows.

"English," me and Ron said together. Harry frowned, and looked at the snake again. He squinted, and when he opened his mouth the next time, an unrecognizable hissing came from his mouth.

The tap started glowing, then it was sinking into the ground. After a minute, there was nothing there but a huge pipe, large enough for us to go down.

The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.

_**Hey! How was the chapter? Good? Bad? tell me in a REVIEW**_

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_**-Rach ;)**_


	21. The True Heir

**_AUTHORS NOTE!_**

**_Hey everyone! So, this is the second last chapter :( _**

**_BUT!_**

**_I will start the Prisoner of Azkaban as soon as I can! _**

**_So, enough talk ON WITH THE CHAPTER!_**

**_Enjoy, _**

**_-Rach ;)_**

**_Ron's POV_**

I gasped. We had actually found the entrance to the Chamber. I looked down the pipe, and saw that it was pitch black and there was no way of knowing how long down it went. I tried not to think of how many spiders might be down there, and shuddered violently. "You okay, Ron?" Fang asked. I rolled my eyes. That bird-kid never misses anything. "Yeah, just a bit cold," I lied.

I looked at Harry as he cleared his throat. "I'm going down there," he said, his eyes glistening. "Me too," Fang said.

I looked in the hole again and nodded bravely. If there was even the slightest chance that Max was still alive, I was going down there and doing my best to get her out. "Well, you clearly don't need me. I'll just-" Lockhart tried, but the three of us turned to him, and Fang, who was pointing his wand at Lockhart's chest, said coldly, "You can go first."

With a white face, Lockhart stumbled over to the giant hole. "Boys, really this isn't necessary-" he tried, but I pocked him hard in the back, and he went falling into the exposed pipe. Harry climbed in next, clung onto the side and let go. He disappeared from sight.

Fang then went next. Instead of sliding down like us, he studied the pipe and flipped his dark wings open. I was still amazed by the flocks wings. He flew down the pipe, his wings slightly bent in for space. I jumped in after him.

I couldn't put words on what this felt like. I thought I heard Harry yelling something about a slide, but I'v never heard that word before, so I probably misheard him. My heart was in my throat, and my heart was doing somersaults in my chest. The adrenaline rushed through my veins, and I couldn't fight a smile. At a sharp turn in the pipe, my shoulder banged against the curve in the pipe, and I cursed loudly.

The pipe leveled out after a few minutes, and I flew out and landed on the ground with a huff. I stood up and rubbed the slime and dirt from my robes and red hair. "We must be miles and miles under the school," Harry said, looking around at the walls. "Under the lake probably," I said. I looked to my left to ask Iggy what he thought of this, but then remembered that he was miles above us, lying in the hospital wing, unable to move.

The thought just made me more determined to go ahead and not stop.

Lockhart was in front of us, brushing off his purple robes. He looked as white as a ghost. We all looked at the darkness ahead, and Harry and Fang pulled out there non-broken wands and said, _"Lumos!"_

Their wands lit up, and we walked down the tunnel. It was so dark that we couldn't see much ahead. "Remember," Harry said, "That the basilisk kills you by using his eyes. So if you see any movement at all, shut your eyes as fast as you can."

Despite Harry's words, the tunnel was quiet and we didn't see anything. I was looking everywhere for a trace that Max had been here, but I couldn't see anything. Not even a footprint.

Then, through the darkness, I saw something. It was big, and lying on the floor, stretching for a long time. "Guys," I said in a hoarse voice, "There's something up there." We all froze, and Lockhart whimpered. "It's not moving," Fang whispered, "Maybe its asleep?" he said nervously, which panicked me. Fang never panics.

Very slowly, our eyes half-shut, we walked over to the thing ahead. Harry and Fang's wands slid onto a gigantic snake-skin that was a poisonous looking green. It looked to be about twenty-feet.

"Merlin," Fang breathed. There was a bang behind us, and I wheeled around. Lockhart had collapsed onto the ground, and he was shivering violently. "Nerves of steel, this one," I said, shaking my head. "Get up!" I ordered.

Then, Lockhart jumped up and pounced on me, knocking me to the ground. I banged my head on the hard floor, and felt Lockhart feeling around my robes for my wand. He found it, and pulled it out. I pulled myself to my feet, rubbing my head. He was pointing my wand at Harry and Fang, completely oblivious to the Spellotape around the middle.

"This little mission ends here, lads!" he cried, a crazy glint in his eyes. "I'll take this skin back to the school, tell them how I was too late to save the girl, and how you three of you went mad at the sight of her mangled body! Say good-bye to your memories!"

He raised my broken wand and pointed it straight at Harry's dirty face. "You first, Potter!"

"_Obliviate!"_

It seemed as though the wand had exploded. I was used to bombs, living with Iggy and Gazzy, and this seemed like one. The ceiling of the tunnel started falling on top of us, and Lockahrt was flung backwards. I covered my head with my hands, and ran away from the bits of ceiling. I heard Harry running the opposite way, and I couldn't tell where Fang was.

When the rocks had stopped falling on top of us, I looked around. Lockhart was lying on the ground, a silly smile on his face. I looked to my right, and saw Fang, and groaned. There was a huge gash on his forehead, and it was bleeding heavily. There was a huge wall of boulders separating me and Harry.

I was reviled to hear Harry's voice bellowing, "Ron! Fang! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm here," I roared. "What about Fang?" Harry asked. "He got hit with some falling rock, and his head is bleeding. He's knocked out, but I'm sure Fang will be alright," I said, looking at Fang's pale face.

"Okay. It will take too long for just the two of us to move these rocks! I'll go ahead and find Max, and you start moving the rocks. If I'm not back in an hour-"

"Yeah, alright. Go on, I'll move the rock," I interrupted, not wanting him to finish to sentence. "I'll see you later," Harry said, and I heard his muffled footsteps as he walked away.

I looked around frantically. Fang's head was bleeding more and more, so I ripped off the end of my robes and wrapped it around his head, covering the deep cut. Then I started shifting the rocks.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Harry's POV<strong>_

I walked away from Ron and Fang, ignoring the voice in my head telling me to go back and I past the giant snake skin. Soon, the sounds of grunting and the rocks being moved became distant, then non-existent. I have no idea how long I walked for, and couldn't wait for the tunnel to come to an end, but I was dreading when it did.

Soon after, I turned a last corner, and saw a solid wall with two entwined snakes with glittering green eyes were carved on it. I didn't have to try and imagine them being real as I did in the bathroom, the eyes were unnervingly real. "Open up," I said, but it came out as a strange hiss. The serpents parted and the wall cracked open.

I walked inside, shaking from head to toe.

I was standing in a large chamber with tall statues of snakes on either side of me. I walked down the chamber, wondering whether the basilisk was now, and where was Max? I pulled out my wand and continued down the chamber. When I got to the end, I saw the huge statue of Salazar Slytherin.

And between the statues feet was a small, dirty-blonde haired figure. "Max!" I cried and I ran towards her, relief flooding through me. I knelt down beside my best friend, and looked into her face. She was as pale as a sheet, and her skin was as cold as ice.

"Max! Please don't be dead- please, please be fine- come on Max, wake up!" I said, throwing my wand aside and grabbing Max's shoulders. Her head lopped to the side uselessly, just like a dead person.

"Max, please wake up," I nearly sobbed.

"She's not going to wake," said a cold voice beside me. I dropped Max's shoulders and turned around on my knees.

A tall, handsome boy with black hair was standing out from the shadows, watching me. He was slightly blurred around the edges, but I knew who he was straight away.

"Tom Riddle?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Tom Riddle's POV<strong>_

I watched the events unfold in silent amusement. Of course, being Lord Voldemort, it wasn't real amusement.

I stayed in the shadows and watched as the door to the Chamber opened, and Harry Potter walked in, looking around the beautiful Chamber with fear and amazement on his face. When he saw the girl, he sprinted to her side, foolishly throwing his wand to the side, and pleaded for her to wake up. The love was clear in his eyes, and it made me disgusted. Yet another reason for me to kill the boy.

I stepped from the shadows and grabbed his wand, and he never noticed. "She won't wake," I said calmly. The boy wheeled around, and when he saw me, he frowned, then said, "Tom Riddle?"

I nearly winced at the Muggle name I was given. I was more then my father, who had left my mother just because she was a witch. I hated the man, but I had gotten my revenge.

I nodded, and Potter didn't seem phased that I was still sixteen years old. And the girl had told me that he was intelligent. Although, he would need to be smart to have defeated me, being the greatest wizard of all time.

"Tom, what did you mean she won't wake? She's not-" I took pleasure in his discomfort. It soothed me. "Oh, don't worry. She's not dead yet, but she's quite close. Not much longer, I'm afraid," I said. I practically beamed with the fear and pain in Potter's eyes. This was going to be a fun time.

"What are you? A ghost?" Potter asked, staring me up and down. So, this boy wasn't a complete idiot. I decided to humor him..until I killed him.

"No, not a ghost. A memory, preserved in a diary for fifty years."

I pointed to the feet of noble Slytherin, where the black diary I had bought so long ago was lying. The silly girl had dropped it when she felt me escaping. Potter stared at it, then turned back to me.

"You need to help me Tom," he said, lifting the girl's head, trying to lift her up. I didn't move. "We've got to get out of here, theres a basilisk, but I don't know where it is, but it could come here any minute...Please help me to get Max out of here." Still, I didn't move. If you looked closer at me, you would notice that my eyes were twinkling. Now, this, was what I lived for. Torturing people.

Potter managed to life Ride off the ground, carrying her bridle-style, but his knees were wobbling with the girl's dead weight. Potter looked to the ground for his wand, and I started twirling it in my long, slender fingers.

"Tom, have you seen-?" he started, but his shockingly green eyes fell on the wand twirling between my fingers. He put Ride back on the ground, and reached out to me. "Thanks," he said. I nearly laughed. The boy thought I was just going to give him his wand! What a foolish child...

I didn't do anything but smile at him. He seemed to be getting annoyed now. "Listen, we need to leave! The basilisk could come around any minute-"

"Don't worry, Harry. The basilisk won't come until its called," I said, still smiling. Potter's eyes narrowed, and I knew he was starting to get suspicious now. "What do you mean? Look, just give me my wand," Potter said, sounding irritated. "You won't be needing it," I said simply.

"What d'you-?"

"I've waited a long time for this, Harry Potter. For the chance to speak to you, to be with you."

"Yeah, brilliant, but unless you've noticed, were in the Chamber of Secrets so I think we should leave. We can talk all you want later," Potter said, his eyes flickering to Ride. "No, Harry. Were going to talk now."

There was a moment of silence, then Potter asked, "What happened to Max?" he asked, his eyes flickering with pain.

"Oh that's quite an interesting question," I said in a falsely cheerful voice. "I'm going to say that the reason Maximum Ride is like this is because she trusted an invisible stranger and spilled all her secrets to him." Potter frowned, looking at Ride. I must admit this myself, she was an extremely pretty girl, but there was no affection in my heart, like always.

"I don't understand what your talking about," Potter said, keeping his eyes on his wand in my hands.

"The diary Harry. Little Max has been writing in it for months and months, telling me all about her past in the place called the School, how her `brothers' wold tease her sometimes, and about the nightmares she would get at night. But-" I said, looking Potter right in the eyes, "She mostly told me of you."

There was shock in his eyes, but it faded away to an emotion I couldn't recognize. But all the same, my dark eyes stayed on Potter's pale face, looking at him hungrily.

"I must admit, Harry," I continued, "It got very boring, having to listen to a freaks problems all day long. But I was patient and sympathetic and Maximum simply loved me. She would tell me that she was so glad to have me as a friend she could trust, someone that would understand..." I laughed at the girl's silliness, a cold, heartless laugh that echoed off the walls. It was enough to send chills down someones back, but it just made me happier.

"I always had the gift to charm anyone I needed. Max poured everything into me. Especially her soul, and that was exactly what I needed. I grew stronger and stronger with the more she wrote, stronger on all the fears she told me that she wouldn't tell anyone else, her deepest, darkest secrets. I grew more powerful then little Miss Ride. So powerful, I gave her a bit of my own secrets."

"Whats that meant to mean?" Potter snarled.

"You havn't guessed yet, Harry? Max Ride was the one who attacked the cat, who attacked all the Mudbloods. It was Max that opened the Chamber of Secrets and set the monster on those children." I almost burst when I saw the look on Potter's face. It was brilliant. His face was a cross of pain and confusion. It was amazing.

"No...she wouldn't..." he muttered, staring at the girls pale face. "Oh, but she did," I said, smiling pleasantly. "Of course, she didn't know what she was doing. It was quite hilarious when when she would write in the diary after that. `I'm scared Tom'" she would write, `I don't know what's happening. There have been attacks around the school and I don't know where I was when they happened! There's blood all over my hands and uniform Tom! I think I might be the one attacking everyone!' I don't want to tell Harry and the others in case they hate me after what I've been doing, but what if they find out anyway?'"

I laughed again when I saw Potter clenching his fists. The feelings he had for this foolish girl was unbelievable. "It took a long while for stupid Maximum to stop trusting the diary. But finally, she started getting smart and tried to throw it away. And thats when you came in, Harry. You found the diary, and I couldn't be anymore delighted. Of all those that could of taken the diary, it was the one person I was most anxious to meet."

"And why would you want to meet me?" Harry spat, hatred swarming from every word. "Well, you see Harry, Max told me all about you. All about how you were an amazing person, and would do anything to save anyone. How you were smart, funny, brave, and caring. She told me you fascinating past, and I knew I must talk to you." My eyes roamed over the lighting-shaped scar on his forehead.

"So I decided to show you my capture of the great oaf Hagrid, to get your trust," I went on, but Potter interrupted me. "Hagrid's my friend!" he snapped, his voice shaking. "And you framed him, didn't you? It's your fault that he got expelled, when it was always you."

I laughed again, another cold and heartless laugh that Potter nearly winced. "Harry, its my word against Hagrid, and who was going to believe him, when he was getting into trouble every other week, trying to raise werewolf cubs under his bed, wrestling with trolls in the Forbidden Forest at night, against Tom Riddle, prefect, model student, poor but amazing, no parents but so brave.

"I must admit, I was frightened that someone would realize that Hagrid could never open the Chamber of Secrets, not having the brains or the powers. It took me five years to understand how to open the Chamber. Only Dumbledore never believed that Hagrid was innocent. He persuaded the Headmaster, Aramado Dippet, to keep Hagrid and train him as a games-keeper. I think he might have guessed. Dumbledore never did like me as much as the other teachers."

"Dumbledore saw right through you, didn't he," Potter said, his eyes glazing dangerously. Harry Potter was a very confusing boy...

"Yes," I said, "He kept a very close watch on me after Hagrid left. I knew it wasn't smart to open the Chamber again while I was a student here, but I wasn't going to let all my work go unfinished.

"Yeah, well, his work is going to to waste. In a few hours, the Mandrakes will be ready, and all the Muggle-borns that have been Petrified will wake and they'll be alright again."

There was anger coursing through my veins. This boy was not understand what I was saying!

"Haven't I told you? Attacking Mudbloods isn't what I'm interesting in anymore. For the past few months, my new interest has been you," I said, hunger in my eyes. Harry just stared at me.

"Imagine how frustrated I was when it was Max talking to me, not you. She had seen you with the diary,and had gotten scared. She was afraid that you would get `possessed'" I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. What a word to use. "As well as her. So she went into your dormitory and destroyed the room until she found the diary. But, it was clear what I had to do. I knew that you would be closing in on Slytherin's Heir, so I made Maximum write her own farewell message and come here to wait. She struggled,and she is incredibly strong, but I broke her in the end."

"I have many questions for you, Harry Potter," I continued. He glared at me, but his eyes were still flickering to the girl, lying on the floor as though dead. And, for all we know, she could be.

"Like what?" Potter spat. Anger flowed through me at the reminder of this. "How is it that you, a skinny child with no extraordinary magical power, defeated the greatest wizard of all time. How could you escape with nothing but a scar, while Lord Voldemort was forced to flee with none of his powers left to him? What is so great about you that you survived and Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?" I was shouting at the end of the sentence. Spit flew from my mouth.

"Why should you care how I escaped? Voldemort was after your time!" he snarled. Honestly, him and the girl were so much alike.

"Lord Voldemort is my past," I said softly, "Present and future." I watched as Potter's eyes widened. I pulled his wand out,and held it in the air, and wrote;

_Tom Marvolo Riddle_

Then I spun the wand around,and the words rearranged themselves.

_I am Lord Voldemort._

_**Hey! How was it? Was Voldemort's POV good, or did I mess it up? **_

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**_Next chapter will be up soon! :D_**

**_-Rach ;)_**


	22. The Attack of the Basilisk

_**AUTHORS NOTE!**_

_**Hello readers... wow, that must of sounded really creepy, sorry haha.**_

_** So, this is the second last chapter...maybe. There could be a third, but I'm not sure. **_

_**Anyway, here it goes :)**_

_**Enjoy,**_

**_-Rach ;)_**

**_Harry's POV_**

I stared. It was Voldemort. The handsome young boy in front of me was the man who killed my parents. At first, it was fear flowing through me, but now it was anger. First, he killed my parents, now he wants to kill my best friend, Max. Riddle pulled me from my thoughts by started another rant- something he did a lot.

"You see?" he whispered in a small voice. "I had already started using the name before I left Hogwarts. Only my closest friends-" he smirked, "Were calling me by the name. You think I was going to keep my filthy Muggle fathers name? I, who has the blood of the great Salazar Slytherin running through my veins, keep the name of the man who left me and my mother when he found out she was a witch? No, Harry. I made a new name for myself, a name I knew wizards would fear to speak when I became the strongest, greatest wizard of all time."

I stared at the boy who had killed so many people without giving it a second thought. My brain seemed to have stopped working, but I forced myself to speak.

"Your not the greatest. Or the strongest," I said. Riddle stared at me with emotionless eyes. "What are you talking about?" he snapped. My heart was whacking against my rib cage, and I couldn't help but think that as we talked this much, Max's chances of surviving were going down and down. I needed to get her out of here.

"Your not the greatest or the strongest wizard. Don't flatter yourself with thinking you are. The greatest and strongest is Albus Dumbledore. Everyone says it, and even when you were at your strongest you didn't dare try and take over the school with Dumbledore here because you knew that you didn't stand a chance. He frightened you then and he frightens you now." I knew I might have gone to far, but I didn't care. Seeing the rage in his eyes gave me a certain satisfaction.

"Dumbledore has been run from this castle by the memory of me! Not even the real me, a mere memory!" he snarled, an ugly look crossing his face. Without thinking, I shouted, "He's not gone until no one here is loyal to him!" Before Riddle could retort, something strange happened.

Music started filling the Chamber, and Riddle looked around in confusion. The music grew louder and louder, ringing around the Chamber. It was an eerie, unearthly sound. It lifted the hairs on the back of my neck, but at the same time it made me feel safe. It reached such a pitch that I felt it vibrating through my ribs.

Then, on top of the nearest pillar, flames erupted and a crimson bird the size of a swan appeared through the flames. A second later, the bird started flying at towards me. As it flew towards me, it dropped something on the ground. The bird landed on my shoulder and I looked into the bird's face.

"Fawkes?" I gasped. He blinked, and I gave him a small smile. "That's a phoenix," Riddle said. I looked at him and couldn't resist saying, "Yes, its a phoenix. Well done," I deadpanned. He's face contorted in rage. He ignored what I said, and pointed to the thing Fawkes had dropped.

"And that is the old School Sorting Hat," he said, pointing. I stared at it. Indeed, it was the Sorting Hat, as frayed and dirty as always. Riddle began laughing, something that was starting to get very annoying.

"So this is what you get? A bird and a hat. Dumbledore must have great faith in you, Harry," he said, and laughed again. I didn't answer. I had no clue why the Hat and Fawkes were here, but now I wasn't alone with Riddle, and a half-dead Max. Even thinking that nearly brought tears to my eyes.

"Back to the business at hand, Harry," Riddle said, his face emotionless once more. "Twice you have survived from me. In your past and in my future. Meaning I have failed to kill you twice. How did you survive?"

"I want to know everything," he continued. "The longer you talk, the longer you stay alive." I frowned. If I stayed here talking all night, Max would die. Maybe thats what he wanted.

"No one knows what happened that night. No one knows why you went after me, but I know why you couldn't kill me. It was because of my mother. She died to save me. My common Muggle-born mother," I spat, shaking with suppressed rage. "She stopped you from killing me. She saved me. And I saw the real you last year. Your a mess. Your barley alive and you were living off another person. It was only a lucky chance that I survived. I don't know anything else." My face was pale with rage.

Riddle's face was permanently contorted in an ugly rage. "Ah, your mother died to save you. Yes, thats a powerful charm. I see now, there's nothing special about you. There is a likeliness between us after all, I'm sure you noticed. Both orphans, both half-bloods, raised by Muggles. Most likely were the only Parseltounges to come to Hogwarts since the great Salazar Slytherin himself.

"We even look something alike. But, of course, only a chance that you survived. That's all I wanted to know..." I waited for Riddle to raise my wand, but he merely smiled.

"Now, young Harry. I am going to teach you a lesson. Let us match the powers of Lord Voldemort, the Heir of Slytherin, against the famous Harry Potter, and the weapons Dumbledore so kindly sent him," he smiled an evil smile, and turned away from me. He walked to the high pillars and looked at the statue of Slytherin. My legs started going numb. Riddle opened his mouth wide and started hissing. But I could understand him.

"Speak to me, Slytheirn, the greatest of the Hogwarts four!"

I spun around, Fawkes' claws digging into my shoulder. My mouth dropped open at what I saw.

The statue was moving. Breathless, I watched as Slytherin's mouth was opening wider and wider,and there was something stirring in his mouth.

I backed away until my back hit the cold Chamber wall. I shut my eyes shut. Fawkes' wing rubbed against my cheek as he took flight. My stomach flipped as i realized- I was completely alone. "Don't leave me!" I called after the phoenix. I heard Riddle laugh, and rage flew through my body.

Something big and heavy hit the Chamber floor. I could almost sense the giant snake uncoiling itself. "Kill him," Riddle said as though he was offering the basilisk a cup of tea.

The basilisk started moving towards me. I started running blindly. This is how Iggy must feel before he got his eyesight back... I could hear the basilisk slithering towards me, and I knew I wasn't going to be fast enough. Riddle was laughing loudly, and I felt anger that I never felt before in my life, not even when I was at the Dursley's.

Then, something happened that didn't help my condition whatsoever. I tripped and landed hard on the ground and tasted blood in my mouth. Riddle only laughed harder. The basilisk was getting closer, and I knew that it was hopeless in running. I wouldn't make it. _I'm sorry Max. _I thought.

That was when there was a loud spitting noise behind me, and something hit me so hard that I smashed into the nearest wall. Grunting in pain, I waited for the feeling of fangs to sink into my body, but it never came. I only heard more hissing and splashing.

I couldn't help it- I opened my eyes a tiny bit, just enough to barely see.

The basilisk, a giant, poisonous green snake, which seemed to be as thick as an oak tree, had raised himself into the air and was weaving through the pillars, snapping at something I couldn't see. I turned my head the smallest bit, and saw what was making the basilisk so mad.

It was Fawkes, and he was flying around the giant snakes head. The basilisk was snapping at him, trying to bite him, but Fawkes was too fast. I caught sight of the basilisk's long, thin fangs as he snapped. Fawkes dived at the basilisk, and before I knew what had happened, blood spurted from the basilisk's head.

The snake's tail trashed again, and I dodged out of the way, and before I could turn my head, the basilisk looked straight at me. I looked straight into the face that had killed Moaning Myrtle, and saw that the basilisk's eyes had been punctured by the phoenix. There was blood streaming from its face onto the floor, and the basilisk was in absolute agony.

"NO!" Riddle bellowed. "LEAVE THE BIRD! KILL THE BOY! YOU CAN STILL SMELL HIM!"

The blind snake swayed, and fell to the floor again, and even though it was blind, it was sill deadly. Fawkes was still flying around the snakes head, jabbing here and there, more blood flying from the snake and falling to the floor.

"Help me, please someone help me," I muttered, looking around helplessly. The basilisk's tail whipped again, and even though I ducked, something hit me in the face.

The snake had hit the Sorting Hat right into my hands. I didn't know what else to do, so I stuffed the hat onto my head, letting it fall over my eyes.

"Help me, help me," I thought. There was no answer, no voice. I felt truly alone. But, just as I was going to pull the hat off me, I felt it contract. Something very hard fell from the hat onto my head, so hard that it nearly knocked me out. Blinking the stars from my eyes, I grabbed and pulled it off my head. Something heavy and long beneath it.

A long, silver sword had appeared in the hat, the handle glistening with rubies the size of eggs.

"KILL THE BOY! YOU MAY BE BLIND BUT YOU CAN STILL SMELL HIM! HE'S RIGHT BEHIND YOU!"

I climbed to my feet, grabbing the sword and standing up, ready. The basilisk's head was rolling around, sniffing the air. His head snapped towards me. It lunged toward me, and I dodged it, banging into the Chamber wall. After that, he lunged again, and his tongue lashed against my sides. As the serpent drew back, I raised the sword in both hands and-

The giant snake lunged towards me again, and this time, its aim was true. I threw my whole weight behind the sword and it drove in through the roof of the serpents mouth.

As blood drenched over my whole arm, I felt a searing pain above my elbow. I resisted the urge to yell out in pain, but I drove the sword in deeper. I looked at my arm, I gasped. There was a long, dirty, poisonous fang was sinking deeper and deeper in my arm. It splintered as the basilisk knelled over, lying in the floor, twitching.

I slid down the wall slowly, trying not to scream in pain. I could actually feel the poison flooding around my body. I pulled the fang from my arm, and felt better for only a few short seconds. The poison was spreading very fast. The Chamber was dissolving around me in different colors.

I felt some weight on my shoulder, and saw Fawkes staring the wound over my elbow. "You were amazing Fawkes. Thank you," I said. My voice was slow and thick, and seemed very distant to my ears. The phoenix lay his soft head on the bleeding cut, and I saw a shadow approaching me, and the sound of slow footsteps.

"Your dying Potter," Riddle said, triumph clear in his voice. He was going to gloat. "Even the bird knows it. Look at what he's doing Potter. He's crying." I blinked. Fawkes' head was going in and out of focus, but I could tell that he was indeed crying. His tears were going into the wound..."I'm just going to sit here, and watch as you die."

I felt sleepy, and all I wanted to do was to lie down and close my eyes. But I knew that if I did that, Max wouldn't stand a chance, and she would die.

"Your going to die alone, Potter. No one will find you here, and you'll be alone in the Chamber forever. You'll be with your Mudblood mother soon, Potter," Riddle taunted.

Dying's not so bad, I thought. I couldn't feel any pain anymore...

But, I thought, if I was dying, shouldn't everything be going out of focus, and blurring? Instead of this, everything was coming back into perfect clarity. I gave my head a shake, and looked at Fawkes, who still had his head in my arm. There was a patch of tears around the wound- but there was no wound.

"Go away bird!" Riddle shouted. "I said get away!"

I raised my head, and saw Riddle was pointing my wand at Fawkes, and with a bang like a gun, the phoenix flew away.

"Phoenix tears...Healing powers, I forgot," Riddle muttered, looking disgusted with himself. "But it makes no difference. I actually prefer it this way. Just you and me, no one to die for you this time Potter." He raised my wand to my face-

Fawkes soared back, and dropped something into my lap. It was the diary.

Without thinking or even considering what I was doing, I grabbed the basilisk fang, and opened the diary. I plunged the fang right into the page.

There was a bloodcurdling scream from the diary. Ink spurted from the pages like blood, streaming over my hands. Riddle was screaming, and flailing.

Then, he was gone.

My wand fell to the ground with a clatter and then there was silence. Slowly, I gathered the sword and the Sorting Hat, then I heard a small groan from behind me. It was Max, she was waking up.

I jogged over to her, and knelt beside her. She opened her eyes, and I stared happily into her chocolate brown eyes.

_**Hey everyone! How was the chapter? Good? Bad? Completely horrible?**_

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_**-Rach ;)**_


	23. Safe at Last

_**Well...This story is coming to an end. This is the second last chapter :(**_

_**I want to thank everyone whos reviewed! Seeing a new review on nmy story makes me happy :)**_

_**I want this story to get over 100 reviews, so please review on this one and the next one! Even if its with one word!**_

_**Anyway, here's the chapter!**_

**_-Rach ;)_**

**_Max's POV_**

I opened my eyes. The first time I saw was bright, emerald's staring at me. I blinked a few times, and realized that they were Harry's eyes. I bolted upright, and looked at anything but Harry. I looked around the Chamber, and shuddered. That was when my wide eye's landed on the giant, dead basilisk and a look of pure horror came across my face.

I finally turned my head to look at Harry and gasp. He was completely covered in blood, and he was extremely pale. Then I saw what he was holding in his right hand. Tears started welling up in my eyes. "Harry-I'm so sorry- I never meant to- Riddle made me- I tried to stop- I'm sorry!" Tears were falling down my face, and I couldn't help but feel ashamed of myself.

"It's alright Max. I know it wasn't your fault. Calm down," he said kindly, smiling at me. "How- how did you kill th- that?" I chocked out, pointing at the basilisk. "And where's Riddle?"

Harry held up the diary, showing me the huge hole in the middle, and said, "That's not important right now. We should get out of here." He held out his hand for me, and I took it. He pulled me to my feet and I took only one step, and my legs gave out. But, Harry and his amazing reflexes, caught me around the waist, and I looked into his face. We stayed like that for a long time, before Harry moved me around so I was standing straight.

I blushed furiously, and stayed still until my head stopped spinning. "I'm going to get expelled," I mumbled miserably, silent tears falling down my cheeks. Harry quickly wiped them away, and said, "Your not going to get into any trouble if I have anything to say about it." He eyes flashed determinedly, and I knew he was going to keep his word.

"What are Mr and Mrs Weasley going to say when they find out what I did?" I asked. Yes, I know, I have issues when it comes to family things, let it go. There was a beautiful bird flying over Harry's head, singing a thrilling yet angelic song. "Whats that?" I asked, pointing at the bird. Harry looked at it, and beamed.

"That is Fawkes, he's a phoenix. Fawkes belongs to Dumbledore." Despite everything that happened, I couldn't help smiling at Fawkes. Harry urged me forward, and we stepped out of the Chamber. I felt like I was waking up from a terrible nightmare, but I was still shaking slightly. I could vaguely remember walking this way before, but it all seemed a blur. The entire day so far was a blur.

We walked in comfortable silence for a few minutes, and finally, I could hear the sound of shifting rock. "Ron! Fang!" Harry suddenly shouted. "I have Max! She's okay!" I could hear Ron and Fang cheering, and I couldn't help a smile. Harry whispered to himself, "Oh, so Fang woke up." But, because of my enhance hearing, I heard this.

I tuned to him, and Harry shrugged it off. We turned a final corner, and saw Ron's flaming hair poking from a large hole in a wall of rocks, which I knew wasn't there before.

"Max!" he beamed as he helped me through the hole. "Your alive! This is brilliant!" When I was beside him, he hugged me tightly, and I hugged him back. He let go of me, and I turned to look for Fang. He was standing behind Ron, covered in dirt and grime, and there was also a lot of blood on one side of his face. "What happened to you?" I gasped.

"Never mind me, what about you!" Fang said, pulling me into a brotherly hug. When Harry had climbed in, he asked Ron, "Where's Lockhart?" I wheeled around, and said, "Lockhart is here? Why?" Quickly, the boys explained to me what happened when they went to go into Lockhart's office, how he was a fraud, and how he tried to get rid of there memories, but having it backfire on himself, causing a cave in.

"That man sounds awful. Do I know him?" asked a cheerful voice in the shadows. I pulled my wand from the waistband of my skirt and said, _"Lumos!" _Lockhart came into view immediately.

He was sitting with a happy grim on his face, and he was playing with a rock. "So his memory is gone?" I asked, watching him with a grim creeping up on my face. Ron nodded, and said, "Doesn't even know who he is."

"We should get out of here before the whole thing collapses," Harry said. We nodded in agreement and feel silent as the boys pondered on how to actually get out of here. I was left to brood over what happened the last few hours. Even though I knew I didn't do it intentionally, the guilt was gnawing at my insides. It was my fault that everyone blamed Harry about everything, my fault that Ethan St James missed his sisters funeral, my fault that two of my best friends were nearly killed...My fault...

"Max? Max! You alright?" Ron, Fang and Harry were calling over and over. I snapped out of my thoughts, and said, "What? Oh, yeah, fine. Just thinking." Harry frowned, but then said, "Take Ron's hand, and Fang's hand."

"Why?" I asked, looking around. "Fawkes is going to take us up the pipe," Fang explained. "Am I the only one that has noticed that Fawkes is a _bird?"_

Harry grinned at me, and said, "Phoenix's have certain powers, which includes carrying heavy objects." I stared at him, waiting for the penny to drop, which it didn't.

"Are you forgetting something about Fang and I?" I asked, and pulled out my wings. Harry blushed, and said, "Well, I thought, maybe you'd be too weak to fly yourself." I raised my eyebrows and Harry snapped, "Fine! I forgot! You try remembering everything after what happened!" I snickered, and walked over to the pipe.

"Lockhart, stand up," Harry ordered. Lockhart remained still on the floor, humming tunelessly. "He means you," Ron said impatiently, pointing at Lockhart. He stood up fast, and walked over to Ron. Ron held out his hand with a look of disgust, and Lockhart took it. Fang flipped his own wings out, and Lockhart looked between us, a look of shock on his handsome face.

"Yes, there wings, get over it," I said irritably. This is the reason I don't want anyone to know about the wings- they'll just want to stare at them, or ask about them, and I don't want the school knowing about my past. Keeping the wings a secret from Lavender and Pavarti was hard, but I made it work.

Harry grabbed onto Fawkes' tail, and he held onto Ron's hand while Ron took Lockhart's. I really wished I had had a camera at that moment, but you can't get what you want all the time.

Me and Fang followed them up the pipe. Even though I absolutely loved flying, I couldn't enjoy it. My mind kept flashing back to Riddle, and the pain I was forced to feel...

The five of us emerged from the pipe, landing on the wet floor of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom with Fawkes flying around the ceiling. The sink started moving back to where it should be, and after a few minutes, it was back to normal. I kept my head down, and couldn't help the tears that threatened to spill over. Everything was my fault...

I was brought out of my thoughts by Myrtle, gasping, "Your alive!" I noted that she sounded disappointed, but I felt too ashamed to say anything. Luckily, I didn't have to.

"No need to sound disappointed," Harry said darkly. He was wiping blood and dirt from his glasses, and his eyes were brighter then ever before. Myrtle looked at Harry, then back at her toilet, she let out a horrible wail, and flew down her toilet.

"I think she was hoping you would die so you could share her toilet," Fang said, wriggling his eyebrows suggestively. He was definitely in a better mood since me and Harry got back. Harry groaned, and looked slightly sick at the thought of having to spend eternity with Moaning Myrtle.

Tears were spilling silently down my cheeks as we left the bathroom, and I didn't move to wipe them away. "Where to now?" Ron asked, looking at me with concern. "Look, Fawkes wants us to follow him," Fang said, pointing at the bird who was flying ahead of us. I looked at my watch silently, and my eyes widened- well, as much as they can widen when there are tears falling out of them.

It was nearly midnight. I have been in the Chamber since eleven this morning. I resisted the urge to groan.

Fawkes lead us down a few corridors, and up a few flights of stairs, and finally stopped outside a door. I wasn't paying attention to where we were, I was freaking out that I was going to get kicked out of the school.

_**You never meant any of that, Max. Professor Dumbledore won't expelle you when it wasn't your fault, **_the Voice said. _Oh, now you talk to me!_ I thought. Obviously, Voice didn't want to talk to me.

Harry raised his fist and knocked and opened the door. It was then I realized we were going into McGonagall's office. My heart started beating faster and louder and I was sure that everyone around me could hear it.

There was silence as we stepped into the office, and we all just stood there, covering in dirt, slime, and blood. Then-

"Max!"

It was Mrs Weasley, and she ran over to me, and flung her arms around me. Mr Weasley followed close behind her, and he too hugged me. This was something else to add to the list of things I was feeling guilty about- putting the Weasley's through hell. They finally let me go, and Mrs Weasley's shoulders shook with silent sobs. But, there was also a breathtaking smile on her kind face, as if seeing me fine and alive was the best thing that had happened to her.

I smiled slightly, and tried to stop the flow of blood that was coming from my palm when I could myself to write the message. It was still bleeding, and my shirt and skirt were covered in blood. I looked over her shoulder and saw Mr Weasley, pale but looking incredibly grateful and happy. Behind him was Professor McGonagall, who was taking great shuddering breaths, and looked as if she was only just holding in her tears.

Sitting behind McGonagalls' desk was none other then Professor Albus Dumbledore. His fingers were entwined together, and his twinkling blue eyes were flashing from me, to Ron, to Fang, and finally landing on Harry, and we start with me again. Behind his fingers, Dumbledore was beaming at the sight of us. I think I even saw a tear escape his eye.

Mrs Weasley grabbed Harry into a bear hug, and asked, "You saved her! You saved her! How on Earth did you save Max?" She continued to hug Ron and Fang, and then me again. I couldn't even start to imagine what they went through when they were told I was better then dead.

"That's what we want to know, Molly," McGonagall said, dabbing her eyes with a napkin. Harry hesitated, looked me in the eyes and after I waited for a second, I nodded. He walked over to the desk, and left the sword he had down on it. He also placed the Sorting Hat down next to it, and what was remained of Riddle's diary.

Then he started explaining everything. Who he had been hearing the disembodied voices since the start of the year; how Hermione had figured out that it was a basilisk that was getting everyone Petrified; how we had all followed the spiders and found Aragog, and what he told us; how we guessed that Moaning Myrtle was the victim from fifty years ago; how the entrance must be in her bathroom...

I noticed how he completely left out that it was in fact me that had opened the Chamber. I didn't know whether I was grateful or disappointed by this.

"Very well, Potter," McGonagall said thickly. "But how did you and Miss Ride survive?" Her eyes were shining with tears, and I was touched that she cared about her students this much. She seems strict and cold, but deep down, she cares for everyone of her students.

So Harry continued, his voice getting hoarse from all the talking. I would of taken over from here, but I was too depressed from the past events. He went on about all the things I missed out on, and my breath was ragged from what he did to save me.

He told us about Fawkes great timing, and how he had the Sorting Hat. He hesitated again, clearly thinking whether or not to tell them my real part in all of this. I sat next to Mrs Weasley, and during the silence I leaned my head against her shoulder. She put her arm around my shoulders, making me feel better.

Without much hope in his eyes, Harry turned to Dumbledore. He smiled faintly, and he said, "What interests me most," he said kindly, "Is how Lord Voldemort was able to posses Max, when I am told he is currently in hiding in Albania." I winced at how calm he sounded while saying that. I didn't know if I would ever be able to talk about this ordeal that calmly.

Mrs Weasley removed her hand from my shoulders, and straightened me up properly, looking me in the face. "You- you don't mean- Max didn't- she couldn't- You-Know-Who?"

Dumbledore nodded gravely and picked up the ruined diary. I kept my head down, not looking at anyone. Fresh tears were now trailing down my cheeks. Dumbledore showed the diary to Mr and Mrs Weasley, and Harry said quickly, "It was that diary. Tom Riddle wrote in it when he was sixteen."

Dumbledore looked at the diary, and he was flicking through it. It reminded me painfully of the first time I found it, flipping through it innocently. "This is brilliant," he said. I huffed in disagreement. I was ignored. "He was one of the best students Hogwarts has ever seen." He didn't sound happy saying that sentence.

I raised my head a fraction to look at my family. The Weasley's looked confused, and Fang's face was without emotion- as always- but Harry seemed to be the only one that understood.

"Not many people know that when he was at school here, Lord Voldemort," he ignored the flinches from the Weasley's and went on. "Was known by his proper name- Tom Marvolo Riddle. After finishing school, he disappeared. Not to be seen the same person again. When he came back to the world, he was unrecognizable. He traveled, became obsessed with the Dark Arts, and was then known as Lord Voldemort." Dumbledore seemed rather happy with himself. He really was off his rocker.

"But- what does h-he have to do with Max?" Mr Weasley asked, rubbing my arm comfortably, the way Jeb would do when I got upset. Subconsciously, I raised my hand up to grab the locket he bought me, and I started messing with it. The engraving at the back flashed in the light from the fire in the fireplace, making it easier to see the word there. _Freedom. _

"It's the diary," I said miserably. "I've been writing in it all year." A sob escaped me, and I felt ashamed of myself. I was stronger then this. I shouldn't be falling apart like this.

"I d-d-didn't know what would happen! I didn't m-mean to hurt anyone! I'm so sorry, Professor Dumbledore!" I sobbed. "Max, it is perfectly alright. Lord Voldemort has hoodwinked older and more powerful wizards then yourself," Dumbledore said. I wiped my eyes, and took deep shuddering breaths. The guilt I was feeling was going to eat me alive.

"Max, didn't I tell you to never trust something that can think for itself but you can't see where it keeps its brain!" Mr Weasley said, but it wasn't harsh, it was gentle and kind. I nodded, and said, "I know, and I'm sorry. I found it in my bag last year at home, and didn't think anything of it when a book started talking back to me! Merlin, I feel so stupid! If I was smarter, this wouldn't of happened!" I wailed. I hated myself at the moment, and didn't think that feeling would ever go away.

"Stop, Max. None of this is your fault. As soon as you put that quill on the page, thats that. He will have control over you, and there's nothing you can do to stop him. Trust me when I say that I have heard of stranger ways of someone getting enchanted by Lord Voldemort," Dumbledore said. My shoulders sagged, and I remained silent.

After a few minutes of silent, where my shoulders were shaking slightly, Dumbledore finally said, "I think it would be best if you go to the hospital wing, Max. This had certainly been a terrible year for you, and for that I take full responsibility. The best thing for you now is a large cup of hot chocolate, with cream and all that, and a long, good rest." He strode over to the door and opened it.

I stood up on shaky legs. "I'm sure Madam Pomfrey is still up now, she's giving the Mandrake Draught to the Muggle-borns. She'll get you sorted, Max." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled happily down at me, and I smiled sadly. I looked over my shoulder, and saw Harry, Ron and Fang staring sadly at me. I gave them watery smiles,and mouthed the word, "Sorry."

They all nodded and beamed at me. Sometimes, I wonder what I did to deserve such amazing friends. Mr and Mrs Weasley came after me, and together we walked out of the office towards the hospital wing.

"Max, I just want you to know that were proud of you. Not many other people your age could of dealt with something likes this," Mr Weasley said. I didn't say anything, just nodded. They both held me close to them, and I felt immediately better. I was still angry at myself, but all I wanted now was to go to sleep.

There was no more talking as we went to the hospital wing. The door were open, and there was light streaming around the white room. Madam Pomfrey and Professor Sprout were bustling around. Professor Sprout had three, huge and fat Mandrakes dangling from one arm, and a goblet of green substance in the other, and Madam Pomfrey was bent over Justin Finch-Fletchly.

Both of them turned as they heard the footsteps. "What are you doing here, Miss Ride?" Sprout asked. She started doing this to the Mandrakes that made me what to throw up, and when she was finished, she had one less Mandrake, and one more goblet of green stuff. I looked at Mrs Weasley, and raised an eyebrow. She looked slightly green after the juicing of the Mandrake _**(I don't know if that's actually how it worked, but lets just go with this, okay?) **_but she nodded all the same.

She gave them the short version of the past events, thankfully, noticing how exhausted I seemed to be. Madam Pomfrey led me to a bed, and, without changing from my filthy clothes, or even pulling back the sheets, I lay down on top of it and fell asleep as soon as my head touched the pillow.

**_Hiya! How is everyone! Was the chapter good or bad? Is there anything I can too to make my stories better?_**

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**_-Rach ;)_**


	24. The Nightmare is Over

_**AUTHORS NOTE!**_

**_Hey everyone! This is the last chapter :(_**

**_But, don't fear because I shall be starting Don't Think, Just Do It: Year 3 in the next few days!_**

**_Thank you to everyone who reviewed, this story now has more then 100 reviews! Please make it more and review on this chapter as well!_**

**_Here's the chapter, _**

**_Enjoy!_**

**_-Rach ;)_**

**_Max's POV_**

"How long has she been asleep?"

"Few hours, I think. Madam Pomfrey said she should wake up soon."

"Do you think she's alright?"

"Course she is. It's Max. Where should I put this?"

"Leave it on the table there. She can have it when she wakes up."

I listened to this while I kept my eyes closed. It took me a few minutes to recognize who these voices belonged to. I felt really groggy, and disorientated. I stirred, and my eyelids fluttered before they would actually open. I had to blink a few times before my sight was clear, and I saw people gathered around my bed.

"Max! Your awake! How are you feeling?" I heard an anxious voice ask. I blinked furiously, and saw that the person closest to me had rather busy brown hair, kind brown eyes and big front teeth-

"Hermione!" I shrieked. I winced at how girly I sounded, and after what happened last night, feeling small and helpless and girly was not something I wanted. But at the moment, I couldn't care what happened. My best friend was beside me.

I didn't look at anyone, I just launched myself at Hermione. She stumbled slightly under my weight, but hugged me back tightly. "Hermione! Oh my Merlin, are you okay? I'm so sorry, I never meant for any of this to happen! I'm sorry, its my fault! I never wanted anything to happen to anyone, especially to you, or Iggy-"

I broke off and pulled away from Hermione. Standing by my bed were Harry, Ron and Fang, all looking clean and well rested once again. But that was it. There wasn't anyone else. "W-where's Iggy?" I stammered.

Before anyone could answer, the doors of the hospital wing burst open and in strolled the blue-eyed, strawberry-blond haired bird-kid by the name of Iggy. "Sorry it took me so long, Peeves was making using the bathroom quite hard-" he started, but stopped when he saw me beaming at him. Without saying a word, I ran to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. He hugged me tight around the middle. "I'm so glad your alright!" I said.

We let go of each other, and I sat back down on my bed. "I know I've said it a lot, but I really am sorry. I was stupid, and foolish, and I clearly wasn't thinking straight and its all my fault everyone was attacked, and I put the whole school into a panic-" Fang covered my mouth with his hand. "Seriously Max. Nudge would be proud with how much you blab on and on. Please shut up."

I obeyed, and watched my friends with eyes. "Do you really think we blame you?" Harry asked. I put my head down and didn't answer. "We would not blame you for something that wasn't your fault. You never wanted to hurt them did you?"

"Well, if Malfoy had been Petrified, I wouldn't be feeling so bad," I said with a serious look on my face. There was silence, then we all burst into laughter. "Please don't be so hard on yourself Max. It was Voldemort, not you." I nodded, and smiled. "Yeah, okay. I know it wasn't entirely my fault," I agreed.

That was when the most amazing smell reached my nose. "Whats that?" I asked, sniffing the air. Ron grinned and moved from where he was standing. Behind him on the bedside table was a big plate of all my favorite food. Chicken, yorksire puddings, and many more. "Where did you get that?" I asked, grabbing the plate and wolfing everything down. "There was a feast in the middle of the night, and we saved all these for you," Iggy said. I beamed, and had everything eaten within five minutes.

"Was it the end of the year feast?" I asked, wiping my mouth and taking a gulp of Pumpkin Juice. "Yeah, and guess who won the House Cup!" Fang said happily. I rolled my eyes, and said in a sarcastic voice, "Slytherin?"

They all stared at me as if I had grown a new head. "No Max! We did! Gryffindor won the House Cup again!"

"Really? I never would of guessed," I said, rolling my eyes again. "How can you have such little faith in your House?" Ron asked, looking scandalized.

"Seriously? Can none of you understand sarcasm anymore?" I said, grinning. They all looked ashamed of themselves, but we all laughed anyway.

We spent most of the day in the hospital wing, seeing as Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let me leave until later that night. She came out every hour, and kept giving me checkups. Finally she let me leave, and she gave me my uniform, which had been cleaned. Hermione helped me change into it, and together, the six of us left together. This was the happiest I felt since we started second year at Hogwarts.

"Whats the story with Lockhart?" I asked as we walked out to the grounds. The sun was shining, and we sat down by a beech tree that was planted by the lake. "His memory is so badly affected that he can't come back next year," Hermione said, looking quite happy with the statement. "What, your not in love with him anymore?" Iggy said, snickering.

"He seems like a barbaric man! He took credit for what other people have done, that could of killed them! And he also tried to remove your memories!" Hermione exclaimed. I raised my eyebrows. "Thats something you've failed to tell me," I said. "You were a bit busy, Max. We never found the right time," Ron said, lying in the grass with his eyes closed.

"When are we starting our exams?" I asked, letting the sun hit against my legs. "Oh, funny story. Because of you guys, were not getting exams," Hermione said bitterly. The boys cheered, and Hermione looked close to tears. "Brilliant. Anything else I missed?"

"I set Dobby the house-elf free with a sock," Harry said. "What?" I said, laughing at how random that was.

So, Harry explained that after Ron went to send a letter to Azkaban to free Hagrid, Lucius Malfoy came into McGonagall's office, raging at how Dumbledore was back. Dumbledore then said that the governors called him back because they heard that I had been taken into the Chamber.

"Mr Malfoy had Dobby with him, and he kept kicking him when he wanted to say something. Thats when I remembered something. Last summer when we were in Diagon Alley, Mr Malfoy took your books out of your hands, remember? Then when he gave them back, Riddle's diary was with them. So, I took the diary back off Dumbledore, put my sock into it, and ran after Malfoy and Dobby. Malfoy took the diary, then gave it to Dobby and thats when Dobby opened it, and found the sock. His master gave him a sock, so now he's free," Harry finished.

We spent most of the remaining weekend outside in the grounds, either just sitting by the tree, or swimming in the lake. Then, by Monday, we had only a week left. This had gone back to normal, except for Defense Against the Dark Arts, where we had free classes.

On Tuesday, I was walking to Charms on my own, having been held back in Potions for asking Professor Snape when was the last time he washed his hair. It's not a nice sight to see Snape shout so much that there was spit flying from his mouth. I shuddered, and froze when I saw a boy with brown hair standing against the wall outside the Transfiguration classroom. "Ethan!" I said, and ran over to him. "Max! How are you?" he asked. "Oh, forget about me. Are you alright?" I asked. I had already apologized to everyone who had been Petrified about a thousand times.

"I'm fine. My parents were here on Saturday. Apparently, things haven't been the same since Lucy died. I think they've been fighting a lot, so I'm planning on trying to make things better over the summer," he said, his eyes looking sad. "I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do?" I asked. Ethan got a weird look on his face, and said, "I don't think so. Dumbledore explained what happened to them what happened, and they kinda...Hate the person that did that to me," he said awkwardly.

"Oh. Right. Well, I'll talk to you later, Ethan. I'm late for Charms," I started walking away, but Ethan stopped me. "Why are you so late anyway?" he asked. "Got into a bit of trouble with Snape. He kept me back to spit at me," I smiled. "Why are you just standing there?" I asked, indicating to the wall. "Why aren't you in class?"

"I, er, sorta transfigured Ernie Macmillian into a chair," he said, snickering. "Why did you do that?" I said, laughing. "He was saying things about you and your friends, but it doesn't matter."

I was about to say something else, but the door to the classroom opened, and McGonagall came out. "St James, what you did was very foolish-"

She stopped at the sight of me, then snapped, "Miss Ride, what are you doing out of class?" "I was making my way to Charms class, Professor," I said. I may be cheeky and sarcastic with some teachers (_cough _Snape_ cough) _but I would never do anything like that with McGonagall. "And why are you only making your way there now?" she asked, sound impatient.

I didn't see the point in lying. Snape would probably be shouting about me later. "You see, Professor. We just had Potions, and Snape said my Potion was wrong because it was slightly red, where it should be completely pink, then he boasted about Draco Malfoy's, and his was green, so that annoyed me and I asked him when was the last time he washed his hair. He kept me back after class, and only let me out now."

McGonagall seemed to be fighting the urge to smile. "Very well, I shall tell Filius why you were late tonight. Now please, go to class." I nodded, and beamed at Ethan before walking to class.

The rest of the week went by without much event. Although, Snape was giving me more dirty looks then before. Malfoy had been in a sour mood because his father had been fired as a school governor. This made me delighted, of course, but Malfoy looked like all he wanted to do was hit me.

Far sooner then we would of liked, it was the morning for us to leave Hogwarts for the summer. I dragged my trunk down to the Hogwarts Express, with Harry, Hermione, Fang, Ron, and Iggy.

The six of us, and Ginny, Fred and George, all got a compartment together. We played Exploding Snap, and it was even more explosive then it should be, after Iggy got his hands on the cards. George literally didn't have eyebrows anymore.

After we were told off for nearly killing ourselves, we started practicing disarming with our wands. Harry and I were the best at it, not that I'm being cocky. We were nearly at Kings Cross Station when Ginny's eyes widened and she suddenly started giggling uncontrollably. I raised my eyebrows, and looked at Fred and George.

"Did you do something to her?" I asked. They both shook their heads, looked amused at they're sisters antics. "Are you okay, Ginny?" Iggy asked. She stopped giggling and said, "I just remembered something that I wanted to tell you guys ages ago! Its about Percy!" She giggled again, and I said, "What is it?"

"Is it that hes a pompous prat? 'Cause we already know that," Fred said with a straight face. "No, thats not it. Put promise that you won't tease him," Ginny said. I noticed how she was mainly looking at me and the twins. I took that as a compliment.

"I solemnly swear that I won't tease the pompous prat," I said and me, Fred and George laughed. "Okay, well...Percy has a girlfriend," she said. We sat in silence, but at the same time, me and the twins exclaimed, "What?"

Ginny snorted, and said, "Yes, it was the Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater. You know, the one that was Petrified-" she sent a look at me, and I nodded to let her know it was fine. "I walked in on them, er...snogging." Poor Ginny looked disgusted with what she'd seen.

Me and the twins shared a look, and silently agreed that we were going to make Percy's life hell. This would be a good summer.

After another few hours, the train slowly rolled to a stop in Kings Cross Station. Ginny, Fred and George left the compartment, going to meet Mrs and Mr Weasley. Harry opened his trunk and took out a piece of parchment, and a quill and scribbled a number on it. He spit the parchment into two, and handed them to Ron and Hermione.

"This is a telephone number," he explained. "No point giving it to all of you, your living in the same house," he said looking at us. "Anyway, I told your dad how to use one last year, so just ask him, or them," he pointed at me, Fang and Iggy. Ron had a look of deep concentration on his face, wanting to remember whatever Harry told him.

"Call me at the Dursley's won't you?" he said as we walked onto platform nine and three quarters. "I can't stand another summer with no one to talk to but them," he said gloomily.

"Your aunt and uncle will be proud, right? Of what you did?" Hermione said, cleverly avoiding saying the words _saved_ and _Max. _ She knew better then to compare me to some damsel in distress. That was something I am not, and never will be.

"Are you mental?" Harry said, his eyes wide. "Of all the chances I could of died this, year and didn't? They'll be furious." For a second, I thought he was joking, but one look at his face told me otherwise.

We walked together out of the barrier, and into the Muggle world. I saw the Weasley's, standing in the middle of everything, with Percy, Fred and George and Ginny with them looking completely out of place, and only a short bit away from them were Harry's aunt and uncle and cousin.

"How are you getting home, Harry?" I asked casually. "Car, I'm guessing," he shrugged, looking at his relatives. "Your telling me that they can fit inside a car?" I gasped, eyeing his uncle and cousin. "Amazingly, yes they can," he laughed.

At the sound of our voices, the Weasley's rushed over to us. Mrs Weasley hugged, Ron, Fang, Iggy and then me, then she hugged Hermione and Harry. "You must stay with us this summer, Harry dear," Mrs Weasley said kindly. He looked delighted at the idea, and nodded happily.

I saw his `family' walking over to us, and his uncle snapped, "Hurry on, boy. We haven't got all day." I narrowed my eyes dangerously, and walked over to stand beside Harry.

"Hi! I'm Harry's friend, Max. Your his uncle right?" I said in a sweet voice that sounded odd coming from my mouth. "Yes, I am. My name is Vernon Dursley, this is Petunia and Dudley. Now goodbye, girl," he said in a rude manner. My eyes narrowed again. "Come on boy!" Dursely snapped again. "Haven't I told you to hurry up!"

"Yeah, yeah I'm coming," Harry said. He turned to us, and said, "I'll see you guys when I see you," he said. Him, Ron, Fang and Iggy shared a guy-hug, then he hugged Hermione, and finally me. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he wrapped his around my waist. He hugged me longer then anyone else, but at the time, that didn't occur to me.

I moved my head, and whispered in my ear, "Thank you for saving me Harry." I quickly kissed his cheek, and before he could say anything, I walked back to the Weasley's, Fang, Iggy and Hermione.

Dudley was staring at me with a stupid look on his face, and when he saw me looking at him, he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively in my direction. Making sure Mr and Mrs Weasley weren't looking, I did a rather rude gesture at Dudley. He blanched, and started glaring at me. I waved happily to him, then at Mr and Mrs Dursley. I was satisfied that they all looked terrified. Harry looked like he was restraining himself from laughing.

I watched as they walked out of Kings Cross Station, and out of sight. I turned to Hermione, and said, "Where are your parents?"

"They should be around here..." she said, standing on tip-toes look around the crowd. "Oh! There over there!" she exclaimed. She picked up her school bag and threw it over her shoulder. She grabbed her trunk, and after giving us all her phone number, and after giving everyone long hugs, she went over to meet her parents.

Happy that all of our friends were safe, Mr Weasley led the way out of the station, back into the Muggle world.

_**So...Its over now... Year 2 was really fun to write, and now its over. But I can't wait to start Year 3! How was the last chapter? **_

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_**Don't Think Just Do It: Year 3 shall be up shortly. I'll put an authors note on this to let you know when the first chapter is up!**_

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_**-Rach ;)**_


	25. Authors Note

**_AUTHORS NOTE!_**

**_Okay, first chapter of year 3 is now up, and sorry that it sucks, it will get much better, I promise!_**

**_-Rach ;)_**


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